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This term is an offshoot of co-alcoholic, denoting the overprotective partner of a chemical addict. Though definitions vary, most clinicians agree that the psychological condition (vs. disease or character defect) of codepen-dence is characterized by compulsively sacrificing your own values, prefer-ences, friends, and identity to avoid upsetting or risking rejection by a special adult or child. "Co" notes that the condition involves two people. Codependents typically deny or rationalize doing this, or say "I can't help it." Usually both people are wounded survivors of low-nurturance childhoods, and don't know this or what to do about it. Because this condition effectively reduces current inner pain and amplifies it long-term, many class it as a re-lationship addiction. Once codependents acknowledge their harmful com-pulsion, they can choose to reduce it over time. Project 1 in this site offers one way to do so. There is now much help available because codependence (false-self wounds) affects so many people and families. more detail / recovery guidebook / Codependents Anonymous / close |
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