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There is a thin line between validating and enabling. Case study: B was abused and bullied as a child. She developed a binge eating disorder in order to cope with the pain of her reality and she is now dangerously overweight.
Rather than accept the pain and suffering of her illness, grieve for what she's lost and get help to recover and heal, she is instead validated in her illness. It is not her fault, it is society's fault for not finding her attractive. She accuses others of "fat shaming".
She is validated by thousands of others who say she is proud and beautiful. B is enabled to stay in the delusional fantasy that protects her from the pain of reality and she can get rid of all her shame into others. "It's their problem, not mine".
But it also prevents her from taking responsibility and control of her life, as well as getting the help she needs. In the worst case she will die of her illness, in the best case she will be alienated and anxious in her delusion, knowing deep down something isn't right.
