"A Codependent Person Puts His or Her Life on Hold in Order to Tend to Someone Else's Needs."
You may have heard the term, 'codependent', used to describe yourself or someone you know. It may have been used in a way that seemed negative or dysfunctional. Individuals struggling with codependency are often highly determined, compassionate, and intelligent people.

​So, what does it mean to be codependent?
PictureRead a FREE Sample!
The term 'codependent' first appeared in the 1970's to describe individuals in relationships with people who demonstrated a destructive pattern of alcohol/drug use.  Mental health professionals began to recognize that these individuals had developed a specific way of coping with another person's addiction which kept them stuck in their relationships, despite overwhelming dissatisfaction, feelings of anxiety, and  resentment.  It seemed that the individuals who were not abusing/overusing a substance were struggling with their own addiction - to the relationship and the other person.  They, essentially, had become so preoccupied with the addict that they ignored their own needs/wants/happiness. Today, the term codependency applies to a much broader range of individuals and circumstances.  Contact me at 631-836-3027 for a free telephone consultation.

Some common signs of codependency:

  • Preoccupation with pleasing others
  • Tendency to take on relationships with 'needy' individuals
  • Obsessive worry about other people
  • Fear of other people's anger as well as your own
  • Difficulty asserting yourself
  • Consistent fear of making mistakes
  • Never feeling good enough

Some situations which can cause codependent relationships:  

  • Being a caretaker for one's siblings
  • Being in a relationship with someone who struggles with mental illness           
  • Being in a relationship with someone who abuses drugs/alcohol
  • Experiencing abuse and/or neglect as a child
  • Witnessing abuse and/or neglect as a child