Often in recovery circles and treatment facilities, you hear the word \” Codependency\” and in most cases it is used to describe the tendency of an individual struggling with Substance Use Disorder and his or her tendency to depend on another addict or individual for survival. As factual as that may be, it should be stated that most family members of those in recovery are profoundly entrapped in a codependent behavior and sometimes do not even know that such is the dynamic of their interaction with the family member in recovery.
Codependency is about over- functioning in someone else\’s life and under functioning in your own. It means you are centering your life around someone else\’s life and not taking care of your self or your own life.
Codependency exist when you are over – functioning in someone\’s life and these behaviors are evident:
Over- Giving of oneself in such ways that your own life losses meaning and focus.
Trying to fix someone else\’s problem to the point you loses control of what is important to you in life.
Care- taking in such ways that you are overly exhausted and you fail to recognize that you need balance in your own life.
Helping in such a way and manner that you neglect your personal needs.
Thinking for others. Speaking for others. Taking over their problems. Being controlling and doing for others what they should do for themselves as a way of compensating your perceived failures in their lives.