Codependency is a learned set of emotional and relational behaviors that manifests in a relationship where one person is in control and the other person enables. While couples are the archetype of codependency, whole families can also be codependent. Codependency often centers around addiction, where the addicted person becomes the focus of the family or relationship, and the others scramble to enable, assist, or help the addicted person hide their addiction. Though codependent people act in love, their good intentions will only worsen the addiction of a loved one by preventing them from getting help in an addiction recovery facility. In a codependent family, communication is usually dysfunctional. Instead of voicing their thoughts and feelings in a respectful way, codependent people bury their feelings, avoid conflict at all costs, and pretend that problems don’t exist. Over time, a codependent person will begin to place the needs of their controller above their own. The addicted person will only become more dependent on their caretaker, and won’t get help in drug rehab. Overall, people who are codependent suffer from low self-esteem and intense self-scrutiny. Because they don’t feel good about themselves, they seek out ways to make themselves feel worthy. Dedicating themselves to a high-stress, high-cost relationship, where they can prove their value by sacrificing everything, gives codependent people a sense of worth. Sometimes a codependent person becomes addicted themselves to deal with their inner pain. Though not all codependent people develop…