Enabling

Enabling refers to providing someone with the means or opportunity to do something, particularly something detrimental or harmful, by supporting or condoning their actions. It often involves shielding a person from the natural consequences of their behavior, inadvertently perpetuating the harmful cycle. The act of enabling can manifest in various ways, such as providing financial support, making excuses, or covering up for someone's mistakes, which can ultimately impede their personal growth and recovery from an addiction or harmful behaviour. It's a complex dynamic often driven by misguided compassion or codependency.

Enabling meaning with examples

• A parent constantly bailing their adult child out of debt, despite the child's reckless spending habits, is an example of enabling. This prevents the child from learning financial responsibility. The parent, in their desire to help, inadvertently hinders the child's development and perpetuates their cycle of poor choices, ultimately hurting the child's future financial state and life choices.
• A spouse who consistently makes excuses to employers for their partner's absenteeism, caused by alcohol abuse, is enabling their behavior. This prevents the partner from facing the negative consequences of their drinking, allowing the addiction to continue unchecked. Covering up for their behavior allows them to remain in denial, and potentially worsening their health.
• A friend who gives money to a person with a gambling problem, despite knowing it will be used for gambling, is enabling their addiction. This action supports the continuation of the gambling. The friend's actions will perpetuate their gambling, instead of allowing them to hit rock bottom which could encourage them to seek help.
• A company that provides lax oversight of its employees' unethical behaviour, such as accepting bribes, enables corruption. By failing to hold employees accountable for their actions, the company fosters a culture of impunity and encourages further misconduct. This type of enabling can lead to financial repercussions and loss of public trust for the organization.