If you think about codependency as a form of addiction, it could actually help you overcome it. Of course, you’ll still need therapy—whether that’s group therapy or one-on-one sessions—because, like with many addictions, there is a root source of the problem that you need to discover before you can potentially get better. A therapist will give you the tools to figure out what that is. A lot of people reject the idea that something causes codependency issues, and I just don’t know how they can say that. Where there is an effect, there is a cause. And as far as addictions go, codependency is one that more often than not has some connection to our childhood. Our upbringing affects our relationship behavior, whether we like to admit it or not. So if you do struggle with codependency issues, consider these ways it is very much an addiction, and actually one of the toughest ones to overcome.
Source: PeopleImages / Getty
You choose it over your wellbeing
Here is big proof that codependency is an addiction: if you’re codependent, you will choose the company of others—perhaps a bad relationship—over taking good care of yourself. You’ll be with people who disrespect you, are mean to you, and perhaps even put you in harm’s way, all so you don’t have to be alone.
