User:Anaescudero78/Codependency

A codependent is someone who cannot function on their own and whose thinking and behavior is instead organized around another person, process, or substance. Many codependents place a lower priority on their own needs, while being excessively preoccupied with the needs of others. The codependent person, also known as "the giver", feels worthless unless they are needed by, and therefore sacrifices their own needs and well being for the benefit of the other. It is due to poor concept of self and poor boundaries, including an inability to have an opinion or say no. “Codependency is a circular relationship in which one person needs the other person, who in turn, needs to be needed. Codependency can occur in any type of relationship, including family, work, friendship, and also romantic, peer or community relationships. This dynamic can be very unhealthy when someone’s identity relies upon someone else. It can lead an individual to lose their true sense of self as their whole identity is centered upon sacrificing themselves for the other person. It has also been referred to as a "relationship addiction", as people with codependency often form relationships that are often one sided, emotionally destructive, and abusive. By spending all of their time being too caring or helpful, a codependent might instead enable a loved one's irresponsible behavior and therefore cause them more harm than good.

Often individuals who develop codependency are raised in amidst dysfunctional family dynamics. Codependency can develop from a variety of situations such as damaging parental relationships, living with an ill family member, and abusive families. In some dysfunctional parental relationships, children are taught to focus on their parents need and to never think of themselves. This type of parents that are emotionally unstable or with addiction problems, teach their children to ignore their own needs and think only what they can do for others.In families where a family member is chronically ill, codependency can develop as well. Having to care for a family member, especially at a young age, sometimes results in the development of codependency. In this sort of situation, the individual is taught to sacrifice their own needs and develop habits of pleasing others. Codependency can also develop in abusive families. An individual who is abused, might learn to repress their emotions which leads the individual to not acknowledge their own needs and develop codependency.

"The Giver" should realize that they are not helping their partner by sacrificing themselves and their own needs. Both individuals in a codependent relationship must learn to acknowledge their own behaviors and when their care taking behaviors becomes compulsive. "Rescuing" their partner so often allows their partner to continue their destructive behaviors. They should learn to take accountability of their own actions by realizing that they are their own persons.

References:

Family stressors as predictors of predictors of codependency. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rebecca-Warner-3/publication/12601697_Family_Stressors_as_Predictors_of_Codependency/links/56d9c6f008aee1aa5f829387/Family-Stressors-as-Predictors-of-Codependency.pdf

Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). Codependency. Psychology Today. Retrieved April 20, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/codependency

Link of article: Codependency