What does it mean to be “Co-dependant”?
“Codependency is a circular relationship in which one person needs the other person, who in turn, needs to be needed. The codependent person, known as ‘the giver,’ feels worthless unless they are needed by — and making sacrifices for — the enabler, otherwise known as ‘the taker.”
In sociology, codependency is a theory that attempts to explain imbalanced relationships where one person enables another person’s self-destructive tendencies and/or undermines the other person’s relationship.
“Codependency can be defined as any relationship in which two people become so invested in each other that they can’t function independently anymore,”
Your mood, happiness, and identity are defined by the other person. In a codependent relationship, there is usually one person who is more passive and can’t make decisions for themselves and a more dominant personality who gets some reward and satisfaction from controlling the other person and making decisions about how they will live.
According to Mental Health America, codependency is often referred to as “relationship addiction,” in that codependent people tend to form and become dependent on unhealthy, emotionally harmful relationships.
Signs of codependency include:
- Difficulty making decisions in a relationship
- Difficulty identifying your feelings
- Difficulty communicating in a relationship
- Valuing the approval of others more than valuing yourself
- Lacking trust in yourself and having poor self-esteem
- Having fears of abandonment or an obsessive need for approval
- Having an unhealthy dependence on relationships, even at your own cost
- Having an exaggerated sense of responsibility for the actions of others
I think this pretty much explains it. There are millions of people in codependent relationships today many of them don’t even know they are codependent on their partner. Do You think you are in a codependent relationship? If so, talking to someone can help you.
How to free yourself from codependency:
1- recognize the signs
2- learn to really love yourself
3- respect yourself
4- trust in your ability to make decisions
5- Start being honest with yourself and your partner
6- stop negative thinking
7- don’t take things personally
8- consider counselling
9- rely on peer support
10- establish boundaries
I hope you enjoyed the read and perhaps learned something new.
In gratitude,
Samantha
|
