Where does codependency come from?
Codependency originally described the condition of spouses and family members of alcoholics. As alcohol continued to cause progressively worsening problems, the rest of the family found that they needed to assume more and more responsibility in order to keep the family afloat. Survivors of alcoholic homes discovered that this pattern of survival became a way of life, going far beyond the life of the family. For Adult Children of Alcoholics, caretaking and rescuing others became the only life imaginable. In time, therapists discovered that codependency could also emerge from families with other severe problems, such as: sexual abuse; drug addiction; chronic illnesses; a variety of addictive and/or compulsive behaviors (such as gambling); and rigid, authoritarian rules with a “no talk rule” around the expression of feelings. As they emerged from these backgrounds, codependents learned that their well being and sense of safety depended on controlling the behavior of others. What is codepe
