by Leah Brignall

A codependent relationship is a relationship in which one person relies on another person on an extreme level. Often times this relationship involves someone who has an illness or an addiction of some sort. These relationships are one-sided and excessive. Many times codependency is passed down from generation to generation because it is a behavior that one can learn if it is part of their environment.

In the article Symptoms of Codependency, Dr. Darlene Lancer describes some of the symptoms that are commonly seen within a codependent relationship. These symptoms include low self-esteem, people-pleasing, poor boundaries, reactivity, care taking, control, dysfunctional communication, dependency, denial, problems with intimacy, and painful emotions. You can read more about the symptoms and codependent relationships in Dr. Lancer’s article.