10 Years Later, 'Loving an Addict, loving Yourself' Continues to Remind Families That Their Needs Matter, Too

As Plattor's award-winning Kindle book marks 10 years, the addiction counsellor highlights the often-overlooked emotional toll addiction takes on families.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, October 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For families living with a loved one's addiction, life can become an exhausting cycle of worry, uncertainty, fear, and attempts to help someone who may not be ready to accept help. While much of the attention surrounding addiction focuses on the person struggling, the emotional well-being of those who love them can easily be overlooked.

As the Kindle edition of Loving an Addict, Loving Yourself: The Top 10 Survival Tips for Loving Someone with an Addiction reaches its 10th anniversary on October 31, 2026, author and addiction counsellor Candace Plattor is highlighting a message that has remained at the heart of her work: Families affected by addiction need understanding, compassion, and support, too.

"For far too long, the focus in addiction treatment has been almost entirely on the person struggling with addiction," says Plattor, founder of Love With Boundaries. "Families are often expected to understand, support, and accommodate their addicted loved ones, with very little attention paid to what they are going through. But what about the families? What about their needs, their feelings, and the toll addiction takes on their lives?"

Drawing on more than 35 years of experience, Plattor wrote her book to help families understand the difference between helping and enabling, recognize unhealthy relationship patterns, and begin making healthier choices for themselves.

Her approach challenges a common misconception: that loving someone with an addiction means continually sacrificing one's own needs in the hope of helping that person recover—and losing yourself in the process.

"First and foremost, I want families to understand that THEY matter," Plattor explains. "Their feelings matter. Their needs matter. And their lives matter."

When Helping Becomes Enabling

For many families, the desire to protect a loved one from the consequences of addiction comes from genuine love. Yet repeatedly rescuing, making excuses, or accepting harmful behaviour can unintentionally allow destructive patterns to continue.

"When families learn the difference between helping and enabling, and begin setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, they can change the way they participate in those relationships," says Plattor. "They can't control another person's addiction or recovery, but they can make choices that are healthier for themselves and stop unintentionally supporting the addiction."

The book's message continues to resonate with readers. In 2026, it received a five-star professional review and won the Gold Medal in the Non-Fiction – Social Issues category of the Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest.

Families Don't Have to Wait for Recovery

Through Love With Boundaries, Plattor and her counselling team support individuals and families affected by substance use and behavioural addictions, including gambling.

Their work emphasizes that families don't have to wait for a loved one to seek recovery before beginning to make positive changes in their own lives.

As the Kindle edition celebrates its 10th anniversary, Plattor hopes more families will discover that caring for themselves doesn't mean abandoning someone they love. It can be an important first step toward healthier relationships, greater self-respect, and renewed peace of mind.

"Those choices can make a real difference," says Plattor. "So let's make that difference a positive one!"

Support for Families Affected by Addiction

Love With Boundaries offers a free 30-minute consultation for individuals concerned about a loved one's addiction.

To learn more or request a consultation, visit:

https://lovewithboundaries.com/how-can-we-help/

For information about Loving an Addict, Loving Yourself, visit:

https://lovewithboundaries.com/loving-an-addict-loving-yourself-3/

Christine Zitscher - Administrative Assistant
Love With Boundaries