Hey there, and welcome back to The Real Dope! If you’re someone who loves, lives with, or supports a person struggling with addiction, this episode is definitely for you. Based on real stories from sisters Elizabeth Brand and Meredith Elliot Powell, who’ve been through it all themselves, today's chat is all about what happens when you start to lose your belief in yourself while dealing with the chaos of addiction.

Meredith and Elizabeth get super honest about how easy it is to forget who you are and what you even like anymore. From planning your whole day around someone else’s needs to feeling like you have to ask permission just to pick an ice cream flavor or what shirt to wear, they’ve been there. They talk about how society, and addiction itself, can wear you down until you’re not sure what you want or if you even matter.

But here’s the good news: In this episode, you’ll get some real, practical advice on how to slowly start finding yourself again. The sisters share what helped them, like taking quiet moments for themselves, tapping into their gut feelings, finding a support system (even if it’s just one person), and giving themselves some grace along the way.

If you’re feeling lost, guilty, or just worn out, you’re not alone. Believe it or not, there is a way to regain your confidence and start believing in yourself again. So grab your coffee, take a breath, and join us for a raw, relatable conversation about turning survival into strength. Let’s get started!

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Hey there, and welcome back to The Real Dope! This week, hosts (and sisters) Meridith Elliott Powell and Beth Brand are diving into something that might surprise you: when it comes to addiction, you can actually count on your addict to follow certain patterns. It might sound crazy, addicts often seem totally unpredictable—but Meridith and Beth are here to break down how their experiences (and what they’ve heard from others) show that the same behaviors just keep popping up.

They chat honestly about all the classic warning signs—lying, blame games, disappearing acts, even broken stuff all over the house—and how these aren’t quirks of personality, but actually symptoms of the disease. More importantly, they don’t just focus on the addict: they turn the spotlight on the people who love them, sharing the real talk about how living with addiction can mess with your head and push you into patterns of enabling and self-doubt.

If you’re feeling a little bit crazy, doubting your instincts, or just plain lost because you care about someone struggling with addiction, this episode will be a breath of fresh air. You’re definitely not alone, and the first step toward real change is getting honest with yourself. So grab your coffee and settle in—this week is all about recognizing the patterns, trusting yourself again, and finding your way back to the person you want to be.

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Welcome to The Real Dope! I’m Meredith Elliot Powell, and I’m here with my sister and co-host, Beth Brand.

Today, we’re tackling a topic that hits close to home for both of us—enabling. If you’ve ever found yourself doing a little too much to help someone struggling with addiction, or if you’re just wondering, “Am I an enabler?” this episode is for you.

We know what it’s like, because we’ve been there. In this episode, we’re getting real about what it means to be an enabler—not just the textbook definition, but how it shows up in everyday life. We’ll talk about the patterns, the lies we tell ourselves (and others), and why it’s so hard to let go.

We’re here to help you see the subtle ways enabling creeps in—even after the addict is out of your life—and how it can completely take over your world and your health. We’ll also share the things that helped us start breaking the cycle.

Whether you’re just starting to notice the signs, or you’ve been stuck in these patterns for years, we want you to know you’re not alone. We’re turning survival into strength—and yes, we’ll have a few laughs along the way.

So join us for an honest, compassionate look at enabling—and how you can start to heal, too. Let’s get into it!