Co-dependency

Co-dependency is a learned behavior, often developed in childhood. Over time it affects a person’s ability to have healthy and satisfying relationships with family members, friends, and significant others. Co-dependency is also known as “relationship addiction” because those that suffer from it often have relationships that are emotionally destructive, abusive, and one-sided. Co-dependency is often related to alcohol and substance abuse. Families of alcoholics and drug addicts often learn co-dependent behavior. Typically, those affected are a spouse, parent, sibling, friend, or co-worker of a person afflicted with alcohol or drug abuse, but co-dependency can happen to anyone from a dysfunctional family.

There are many signs and symptoms of co-dependency. Often the person suffering has low self-esteem and continually they look for things outside of themselves to feel better. Some use alcohol and drugs to feel better, because they find it difficult to be themselves. This leads to addiction of drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sex. Some common characteristics of co-dependent people are an extreme need for approval, dishonesty, an exaggerated sense of responsibility for others, and an unhealthy dependence on relationships. Co-dependents will find themselves holding onto relationships regardless of their negative attributes to avoid any feelings of abandonment.

Understanding co-dependency is the first step to changing the behavior. Renaissance Malibu offers the most comprehensive treatment for co-dependency. As co-dependency often stems back to instances in childhood, Renaissance Malibu offers intensive individual and group therapy to get to the root of the problem. Treatment includes helping patients get in touch with feelings buried years ago in childhood. In an attempt to reconstruct important family dynamics, family, friends, and loved ones are included in the healing process and group therapy. Overcoming co-dependency is an important step in overall treatment of addiction in all its forms.