What is co-dependency?
Codependency is heavily relying on something or someone to aid a persons emotional needs and boost their self esteem.
The origin of the term codependency was coined in the 1980s and was referred to substance abuse within individuals. Since the 80’s the term has been used frequently in response to wellbeing, mental health, and domestic violence.
Codependency looks like attaching yourself to someone you love and when you’re not around them, you feel sad, lonely or you feel like someone has taken away your joy.
Basic human instincts are to be loved and to be cared for and we can all agree when we feel loved, we feel happier in our relationships and it creates a stronger bond.
When it can turn unhealthy is when an individual’s mood is impacted by someone not being in the space and their life depends on that person. The extreme end of codependency can detrimental to not only the individual’s mental health but the recipient too.
Codependency can be subtle but through continual self-development of unlearning this habit, therapy, and journaling. A person can find themselves becoming less dependant and standing in their power.
The signs of codependency:
- Finding it hard to say no
- Putting others needs before yours
- Not establishing your boundaries
- Breaking your boundaries
- You feel you have to ‘fix’ people
- Being dependant on others in fear of abandonment
The Grounded Tree 
It is always good to help people but we must learn to teach them to stand with their own feet. Having someone relying on us all the time makes us lost our focus on important things in our lives.
You’re 100 right! It can take a toll on our own wellbeing and trajectory of our life when someone is relying on us 24/7.