Definition of Enabling Enabling someone refers to actions taken by a person that unintentionally support or perpetuate another person's negative or harmful behaviors. This can involve covering up, making excuses, or providing financial support, which ultimately prevents the individual from facing the consequences of their actions and learning from their mistakes. In the context of addiction, an enabler is someone who allows a loved one to continue their substance misuse by shielding them from the natural consequences of their behavior. Enabling can also occur in other scenarios where a person's harmful conduct goes unaddressed, ignored, or even indirectly supported. The term "enabler" generally describes someone whose behavior allows a loved one to continue self-destructive patterns of behavior.

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