codependency and addiction
is it codependency?
online therapy can help
in colorado, florida, maryland, & pennsylvania
Online counseling with AROSE eTherapy can help you identify the signs and symptoms of codependency and learn what to do to overcome the behavior. Oftentimes women say in therapy, “I think I may be codependent, but I’m not sure,” or “My (friend, sister, colleague) mentioned I might be codependent, but I’m not sure what that means?”
It is a bit of a pop-psychology term (using formal diagnostic terms it is most akin to a dependent personality disorder), but it mainly has to do with someone becoming so caught up in someone else’s life that they lose sight of themselves. I also find those struggling in this type of relationship dynamic struggle to know if the problem is with their partner or with themselves. They find it hard to know if they should stay or go as they can’t discern if they’re overreacting or if their partner’s behaviors are truly problematic.
Oftentimes with codependency a person’s partner may struggle with an addiction, either chemical (drug, alcohol) or behavioral (e.g., gambling, porn), but not necessarily. Read on to learn the symptoms of codependency.
symptoms of codependency
There are a number of characteristics that are associated with codependency; whole books are written on the subject. To summarize, codependency includes being overly focused on others, failing to take care of yourself, centering your moods or actions on what others are doing, feeling overly responsible for others, doing for others what they are capable of doing for themselves, struggling to acknowledge your own feelings, and so-on. Many times codependency has low self-esteem at its roots. Working with a psychologist can help build your esteem, refocus your attention on yourself, and stop you from spinning out in someone else’s orbit. Check out Dr. Rozycki’s blog on codependency to learn more.
Who is affected by codependency?
Typically codependency is thought to be a problem in romantic relationships. An addict is involved with a partner who is or becomes codependent in the course of a relationship where addiction is present. As the addiction becomes more uncontrollable, the codependent falsely believes they can help reinstill control or calm in the chaos. This desire to help impacts not only the romantic partner of the addiction but can impact all relationships within a family system.
Grandparents, parents, siblings, and children of addicts can develop codependent traits. These traits can be observed not only in the relationship between the family member and the addict but can carry over so that the family members display these traits and behaviors in all relationships they have. Beyond the family system, sometimes even friends and coworkers of the addict display codependency, too. In addition to online counseling for codependency in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, you can also seek support from Codependents Anonymous.
Struggling with an addiction?
Online therapy may be appropriate if you are needing support in cutting down problematic substance use or abuse. Sometimes with work stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma, people turn to substances to numb the difficult feelings. This is a coping mechanism, but not a good one. Some escape problems with addictive behaviors like gambling, shopping, or over working.
All these avoidance behaviors block you from getting to the root cause of your problem, whatever that may be. Depending on the severity of your problem, online counseling may be sufficient in helping you to get back on track by modifying your behavior and processing the real issues. For more severe addictions, online counseling may not be appropriate as having a provider in your local area would be more preferable for your health.
ONLINE COUNSELING CAN support you
with codependency and addictions
IN COLORADO, FLORIDA, MARYLAND, AND PENNSYLVANIA
If you’re needing support, it may be time to reach out to a professional who understands codependency and struggling with substance misuse. If left ignored the stress of these problems can lead to clinical conditions like an adjustment disorder, insomnia, depression, or anxiety. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or needing support, reach out today for a Free 15 Minute Consult and let’s talk about how we can get you feeling better.
