Codependency
Some say that it is a disease of the heart. Codependency is believed to have developed from
- The family you grew up in wherein someone was addicted to alcohol/drugs,
- A relationship with someone who actively abuses chemicals or is involved in other addictive behaviors (i.e. gambling, sex) and
- Growing up in a home where feelings and emotions were repressed or not expressed.
In most cases, drugs and alcohol play a significant role in the development of codependency. Codependency grows out of a want and a need to “fix things”, to take care of and protect those we love and to feel as though “we matter and make a difference.”