A dysfunctional relationship pattern where one person's sense of self-worth becomes dependent on being needed by another person, often someone with an addiction or other dysfunction. The codependent person enables the other's problems while neglecting their own needs.
Coined in the 1980s in addiction treatment, combining 'co-' (together) with 'dependency.' Originally described spouses of alcoholics who became addicted to being needed, the term expanded to describe various unhealthy relationship patterns where one person loses themselves in another's problems.
Codependency is like being addicted to another person's addiction - the codependent gets a hit of feeling valuable and needed by rescuing, but this actually prevents the other person from learning to solve their own problems. It's a dance where both people are trapped but think they're helping.
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