What are Codependent Relationships?

Tap to Read ➤ Parul Solanki

Codependent relationships are the dysfunctional relationships with an extreme dependence of one person on the other. A codependent perpetuates the dependence to maintain control over them. Read to know more about this psychological problem.

"As long as we believe that someone else has the power to make us happy then we are setting ourselves up to be victims" ―Robert Burney

Codependency usually associated with relationships with a substance abuser. It refers to the emotional and behavioral pattern that is result of dysfunctional relationship. Codependent person belongs to a family in which there are members who are involved in self-destructive behavior.

Due to various emotional and psychological reasons, the codependent person perpetuates and controls the self-destructive behavior so much so that the other person in the relationship is not able to recover from his/her addiction and continues to rely on the person.

Merriam Webster dictionary defines codependency as "a psychological condition or a relationship in which a person is controlled or manipulated by another who is affected with a pathological condition such as an addiction."

The common trait include a desire to control people around them or a need to be controlled by others. This could be fueled by lack of self-esteem, fear of abandonment, and a compelling need to fulfill the other person's needs by sacrificing your own. To understand the relationships dynamics and issues, Let's see the common signs of codependency.

Symptoms of Codependent Relationships

Signs of such relationships include distrust, controlling behavior, and a tendency to place your wants and needs over others. This is often accompanied by clinical depression and feelings of being 'trapped' and frustrated. Problems with intimacy Difficulty in making decisions Obsessed with fixing needy people

Avoiding emotional and other problems Not being able to assert themselves or feel a sense of guilt when doing so Perfectionism Distrust towards people Difficulty in expressing feelings Fear of rejection

Worrying about other people's reactions and feelings Seeking constant approval and recognition Excessive caretaking and constant vigilance Low self-worth and self-esteem Stress-related health problems

Causes of Codependency in Relationships

One of the most probable causes of these relationships is a problem in the family during childhood. All of us are born dependent on our parents for meeting our needs.

With the developmental process, we move on to the symbiosis phase where the child demands the care and help of his parents and they provide him with the adequate care and look after his needs. This stage then progresses to competence and independence or interdependence in the adult years.

In a codependent relationship, the children are not allowed to make the independent choices in life and instead tend to cling on to the codependent parents. This neediness and dependency may mark his or her relationships later on in life as well.

These relationships can also be the result of traumatic events like death of a parent or divorce in the family, mental health problems like depression and emotional, physical or sexual abusive relationships. The fear of emotional abandonment permeates into the adult years as they tend to cling to one person, wanting to please them and fulfill their needs.

How to Overcome Such Relationships

It is important that people in such relationships pull out off it as soon as possible. You can get counseling and help from a psychologist, physician, or mental health worker. Individual and group therapy can work quite well.

Based on the twelve-step program model of Alcoholics Anonymous, there are many support groups which can help you recover and work towards a healthy behavior. Psychologists also recommend opting for short-term family therapy. Getting in touch with the childhood issues and reconstructing the family dynamics can help you to handle such relationships.

It is important not to confuse codependent relationships with actual care for a person, especially someone who has the problem of substance abuse. Also, parents should encourage children to communicate and express their feelings instead of placing unrealistic demands and expectations on them.

Repressed anger and a need to control things during childhood can strain the free and healthy development of the child. It can also hurt the child's self-esteem in their adult life and lead to dysfunctional relationships.