Codependency and Addiction

Addiction afflicts tens of millions of Americans. What isn’t as well known is the fact that addiction and mental health conditions often go hand-in-hand. This isn’t just confined to the person abusing drugs or alcohol. Codependency and addiction often turn up together, where one partner uses and the other is codependent. However, with addiction therapy services at Acqua, you can overcome these problems in your life.

What is Codependency?

Codependency refers to a kind of relationship where one person puts the other person first in unhealthy ways. In many cases, the relationship proves extremely one-sided. It’s also common for codependent relationships to be abusive or emotionally damaging. Despite all of this, the codependent person will stay in the relationship. A few common hallmarks of codependency and addiction include:

  • Poor self-esteem

  • Fear of intimacy

  • Trouble saying “No.”

  • A deep need to please others

  • Trouble communicating

  • Difficulty setting boundaries

  • Overblown sense of responsibility

Codependency and Addiction

One of the reasons codependency and addiction crop up together so often is that someone experiencing addiction needs a lot of support. The codependent’s need to please makes them very likely to end up in a relationship with an addict. Unfortunately, it also makes them a poor candidate to help the person with a substance use disorder. The codependent will often bail their partner out of financial trouble or take on the responsibility of paying the bills. This lets an addict continue their self-destruction behavior for longer than might otherwise prove feasible. Codependents will also help cover for their partner’s behavior and even encourage them to keep using. At the same time, the codependent will often feel left out, neglected, or rejected by their partner who chooses to use drugs. Their caring behaviors ultimately backfire and make the problems harder to overcome, rather than easier.

Treatment

The close connection between addictions and codependent relationships means that codependency treatment often happens at a rehab facility. Many of the same skills and information prove relevant for those seeking recovery and those needing help with codependency. For example, some common treatments include:

Codependent personalities often benefit from classes about addiction and drug or alcohol abuse. It helps them understand why their helping behaviors can actually hurt their partners.

Acqua Recovery

Acqua Recovery offers addiction therapy services and mental health services. We also provide dual diagnosis services for those suffering from both addiction and mental health conditions, such as codependency. Acqua Recovery is located near Midway, Utah. Codependency can control your life just as surely as addiction controls the life of your loved one. You can both overcome your challenges with help from a quality rehab and mental health center. Call Acqua Recovery today at 866.830.4628 and let us help you find your way.


Codependency and Addiction

Dr. Daniel Pickrell

Dr. Daniel Pickrell
Medical Reviewer

Dr. Pickrell is a board-certified psychiatrist with interests in addiction and psychiatry. He strives to identify the underlying cause of substance use. His understanding of addiction as the overlapping symptoms of biopsychosocial development is the foundation to his care model. He is committed to helping both patients and families understand that addiction is a treatable medical illness. He has been involved in the treatment of addiction for the last 17 years and completed his residency training at the University of Utah.

Addiction afflicts tens of millions of Americans. What isn’t as well known is the fact that addiction and mental health conditions often go hand-in-hand. This isn’t just confined to the person abusing drugs or alcohol. Codependency and addiction often turn up together, where one partner uses and the other is codependent. However, with addiction therapy services at Acqua, you can overcome these problems in your life.

What is Codependency?

Codependency refers to a kind of relationship where one person puts the other person first in unhealthy ways. In many cases, the relationship proves extremely one-sided. It’s also common for codependent relationships to be abusive or emotionally damaging. Despite all of this, the codependent person will stay in the relationship. A few common hallmarks of codependency and addiction include:

  • Poor self-esteem

  • Fear of intimacy

  • Trouble saying “No.”

  • A deep need to please others

  • Trouble communicating

  • Difficulty setting boundaries

  • Overblown sense of responsibility

Codependency and Addiction

One of the reasons codependency and addiction crop up together so often is that someone experiencing addiction needs a lot of support. The codependent’s need to please makes them very likely to end up in a relationship with an addict. Unfortunately, it also makes them a poor candidate to help the person with a substance use disorder. The codependent will often bail their partner out of financial trouble or take on the responsibility of paying the bills. This lets an addict continue their self-destruction behavior for longer than might otherwise prove feasible. Codependents will also help cover for their partner’s behavior and even encourage them to keep using. At the same time, the codependent will often feel left out, neglected, or rejected by their partner who chooses to use drugs. Their caring behaviors ultimately backfire and make the problems harder to overcome, rather than easier.

Treatment

The close connection between addictions and codependent relationships means that codependency treatment often happens at a rehab facility. Many of the same skills and information prove relevant for those seeking recovery and those needing help with codependency. For example, some common treatments include:

Codependent personalities often benefit from classes about addiction and drug or alcohol abuse. It helps them understand why their helping behaviors can actually hurt their partners.

Acqua Recovery

Acqua Recovery offers addiction therapy services and mental health services. We also provide dual diagnosis services for those suffering from both addiction and mental health conditions, such as codependency. Acqua Recovery is located near Midway, Utah. Codependency can control your life just as surely as addiction controls the life of your loved one. You can both overcome your challenges with help from a quality rehab and mental health center. Call Acqua Recovery today at 866.830.4628 and let us help you find your way.


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