Signs You May Be Codependent
Codependency is an unhealthy attachment to those around you. In codependent relationships, one person offers more emotional, physical, mental, or financial support. Codependency limits healthy relationships because it inhibits both individual's mental health. One person is constantly giving while the other is continuously receiving. Codependency creates an anxious, insecure attachment lifestyle that is predicated on the actions or mentality of others. Here are five ways you may be codependent.
You try to fix or save people
Wanting the best for others should be a natural desire. Unfortunately, if there is no drive or "want to," nothing can be done on your part. The healthiest thing to do is offer advice when solicited, and try to compartmentalize mentally. You do not have to carry the mental weight of other's predicaments.
You troubleshoot problems for others
The intimacy of a relationship could affect your involvement in a situation. Dilemmas between a spouse or a partner could have a personal result on your life. Relationships outside of your family or household cannot take up too much time. It is up to you to determine how far you can go for an individual. Solving problems for someone will only result in them returning to you the next time a complication occurs. Set clear boundaries in relationships to protect yourself and establish responsibility.
You focus on convincing or persuading others to change
"You can lead a man to water, but you cannot make him drink." As we stated before, we inevitably want the best, most productive life for those around us. However, they might not want the best outcome for themselves -they might not even know where to begin! Offer advice when solicited, this protects you from being the one to blame if things go awry.
People rely on you in an unhealthy way
Empathy and codependency may seem similar. Empathy understands how someone feels without taking on those emotions. You can help without being consumed. Empathy is a psychological identification with thoughts or feelings; codependency says those feelings are mine. Mental responsibility is unnecessary in certain relationships, and it could cloud judgment and affect your own mental health. Try to distance yourself from individuals who are always looking to you, but who are unwilling to change.
You give more than you receive
A healthy relationship is a pendulum of give and take. If someone is relying on you solely for financial, mental, or physical support, it will inevitably drain you and create resentment.
The key to a healthy relationship is communication. Discuss the roles and contributions in a relationship. Solidify what each person is going to bring to the relationship. It does not have to be a formal meeting, just an undeniable understanding of where you stand and how you feel in a relationship.
