What is Enabling Use?

“Enabling Use” is a term I use to describe the entire spectrum of using substances to make sex more intense, more pleasurable, or even possible in the first place. This spectrum ranges from infrequent/low intensity to very frequent/high intensity. On one end of the spectrum, a person might have a drink to deal with the first date jitters. On the other end of the spectrum, a person might be completely dependent on substances to make sex happen or maybe they’ve never had sober sex at all.
This is an important thing to consider in early recovery because the more closely intertwined these things are, the more difficult it can be to stay sober. The more closely intertwined these things are, the more necessary it will be to address sex and substance use at the same time.