Codependent personalities focus on others’ needs to the detriment of their own, often leading to unhealthy relationships and enabling addictive behaviors. Treatment options include therapy and medication. Left untreated, codependency can lead to other issues such as anxiety and addiction.
The term codependent personality is used to describe a person who focuses intensely on the needs of others, causing harmful or unhealthy effects. Codependent people usually tend to ignore their own needs and focus on caring for friends, family, and others. While caring for others is often a good trait, a codependent personality doesn’t know when to let others solve problems for themselves. He may also have difficulty ending abusive or unhealthy relationships. Treatment, such as psychotherapy and medications, is usually recommended to prevent the development of other conditions, such as addiction, panic disorders and eating disorders.
One situation where codependency often causes problems is the parent-child relationship. While taking care of a child’s needs is important, if a parent does too much, the child may not learn to be independent. Codependency can also become a problem when a codependent person takes care of another who has an addiction problem; in this case, the codependent person may become an enabler, making it easier for the addictive behavior to continue.
In some cases, codependent relationships can also be mentally or physically abusive. In these cases, the codependent person is often unwilling or unable to end the abuse. A person with a codependent personality can have unhealthy relationships in all aspects of their life.
There are a number of personality traits that are typical of a codependent personality. Denial, or refusal to accept or acknowledge problems, and low self-esteem are two qualities codependents often exhibit. Because they can have a hard time putting themselves first, codependents are often skipped for promotions at work and are likely to ignore their own medical problems or illnesses. A codependent personality may also have difficulty making decisions, may participate in activities they dislike to make others happy, and may often offer unsolicited advice.
Seeing a counselor or psychologist to work on codependency is a treatment option, which can sometimes be combined with medication. Other therapies similar to the 12-step program used by organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous might also be helpful for a codependent personality. A number of self-help books have also been written on the subject.
Left untreated, codependency can sometimes lead to other problems. Social anxiety, panic disorders, eating disorders, and addiction are some examples of self-defeating behaviors that can result from this personality disorder. Codependent people can also suffer from depression or other stress-related issues.
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