Codependency is a tricky issue where someone relies too much on their partner emotionally or psychologically, usually because that partner needs a lot of support due to illness or addiction. This often creates an unhealthy dynamic where one person constantly sacrifices their own needs to take care of the other. Codependency can show up in different ways, but it often includes enabling behaviors, trying to control the situation, and having poor boundaries.

The roots of codependency often start in dysfunctional family environments. In these families, kids might learn to ignore their own needs and feelings to keep the peace or take care of a struggling family member. Sadly, these habits can stick around into adulthood, affecting their future relationships. The idea of codependency first came up in addiction recovery settings, where people noticed that family members of addicts often showed these enabling behaviors.

On a psychological level, codependency is connected to things like low self-esteem, craving approval, and a fear of being abandoned. These factors make someone more likely to get into codependent relationships. The term got popular in the 1980s thanks to therapists and researchers studying how alcoholism affects families. Since then, it’s grown to include many types of relationships, not just those involving addiction.

My Story

Being a recovered codependent empath, I know exactly how traumatic it can be to go through your life always seeking approval from other people, enabling those that you love and dealing with feelings of abandonment. The 44 years I spent of my life that I spent as a codependent empath was not only some of the most difficult, but it was also the most eye opening experience and the gateway to my spiritual awakening which has led me to where I am now.

My last karmic relationship which had both of us in a codependent state forced us to power up and learn the lessons we were destined to learn from each other. I learnt about self worth, self love, acceptance, forgiveness and not feeling the need to people please others anymore. I also discovered through this process the impact that my past lives had on my growth and my purpose in this lifetime and after realising that I had been traversing multiple lifetimes with my karmic, we were finally able to close the soul contracts, cut cords and move from that place of codependency to a place of interdependency. The toxicity of this relationship has now transmutated into a much healthier dynamic full of boundaries, respect, love and care.

Getting a grip on what codependency is and where it comes from is key to spotting it in relationships and taking steps to heal. By recognizing these patterns, people can start breaking free from the cycle of codependency and work towards more balanced and fulfilling relationships.