Manipulation- How an addict gets what he wants.

Posted April 19, 2008

As a recovered addict I can tell you my family called me the master manipulator for many years. I not only manipulated money from people but I also manipulated forgiveness and trust from people that never should have forgiven or trusted me.

Over the past five years as an Addiction-Treatments Counselor I have talked to countless families that told me “he (or she) is the best manipulator ever. He will tell you what you want to hear and make you believe he does not even have a problem”.

This is not an individual trait to your son or daughter, it is part of the addiction. Addicts normally do not hold steady jobs and usually can not support themselves so they play on the sympathy of others. They will say and do whatever it takes for someone (especially parents) to get money, food, a car, a place to stay. For parents this often turns into enabling the addict. If you continually give into the manipulation and give them the things they need/want you are enabling them to continue the life style they are currently living and in the addicts mind you are saying its okay to live this way.

I am a recovered addict, an addiction treatment counselor and the parent of a 20 year old son. I do understand that turning away your son or daughter when they need help is something very difficult indeed. As a parent you are there to help your kids but if you enable them to continue living this way you are actually killing them. Imagine if you gave your son or daughter just $20.00 (for gas they said) and they overdose with it, or they kill a family because they were drunk driving. You have to be strong and not enable the addict even when they are the “master manipulator”.

For more information on this subject please call the professionals at:

Additction-Treatments.org 1-866-599-7342

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