Codependency
Codependency
Codependency (pronounced: koh-dee-pen-den-see) is a behavioral condition in a relationship where one person enables another person's addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, irresponsibility, or under-achievement.
Etymology
The term 'codependency' is believed to have originated in the 1950s, in the context of the study of interpersonal relationships in families of alcoholics. It was initially used to describe the relationship between the alcoholic and his or her spouse.
Definition
Codependency is characterized by a person belonging to a dysfunctional, one-sided relationship where one person relies on the other for meeting nearly all of their emotional and self-esteem needs. It also describes a relationship that enables another person to maintain their irresponsible, addictive, or underachieving behavior.
Symptoms
Symptoms of codependency may include:
- Excessive care-taking
- Low self-esteem
- Control issues
- Denial of one's own needs and feelings
- Problems with setting and maintaining boundaries
- Dependency on others for self-worth
- Communication difficulties
Related Terms
- Addiction: A psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance, even though it is causing psychological and physical harm.
- Mental Health: The level of psychological well-being or an absence of mental illness.
- Dysfunctional Family: A family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often child neglect or abuse on the part of individual parents occur continually and regularly.
- Self-esteem: Confidence in one's own worth or abilities; self-respect.
See Also
This WikiMD.org article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.