How Codependency and Drug Addiction Is Unhealthy

The road to recovery is incredibly challenging for every addict, and to achieve complete sobriety you need a ton of determination, discipline and desire. But, that road to recovery can be made ten-times harder if there’s codependency coinciding with the drug addiction. In fact, the combination of the two can be so unhealthy that it can prevent an addict from recovering altogether.

We’re going to discuss exactly what codependency is and how it forms a link with drug addiction…

Codependency in a nutshell

So, codependency is when a relationship is formed between two people whereby one of them is more emotionally attached than the other. As a result, that person will then go above and beyond to display their love for the other person, even if that behaviour is not healthy. The person will often put the other person’s needs before their own, which can lead to a massive reduction in self-worth and confidence.

But, that person doesn’t know it’s lowering their self-worth and confidence. Their behavior is addictive in its own right, because they’re so reliant on the other person for emotional and psychological stability. Ultimately, they just want to be loved and desperately want someone to make them feel good about themselves.

The person we’re referring to here is labelled as the “enabler”, because they’ll often help the other person with whatever they’re doing, even if it isn’t right. Why? Well, because that’s the pattern that develops in a codependent relationship; the person just wants to be loved, but the way they act is strengthening the addictive habits of the other person which will only destroy the relationship.

Core symptoms of a codependent individual

• Low self-worth and confidence
• Inadequate ability to communicate
• Struggle to discuss their true feelings
• Neglecting their own needs
• Feelings of guilt

 

How codependency and drug addiction unite

Like we’ve already mentioned, one half of the codependent relationship is known as the “enabler”. When a drug addiction is involved, the other half is described as the “addict”. Now, the reason why it’s so unhealthy to have both going on at the same time, is that codependency enables the addict to get worse, and worse, and worse.

Thinking they’re displaying love, the enabler will take control by going out and buying drugs for them, telling lies to their employer about the way they’re acting and giving them money when they’ve got none left themselves. This type of behavior gives the addict a reason to reinforce their bad habits, rather than taking responsibility to get clean.

Further ways that codependency hinders the chance of recovery rather than aiding it, is by paying all of the bills each month, allowing them to act aggressively and not intervening when the time is right. Of course, the enabler is doing all of this subconsciously and not intentionally – they often have mental troubles fueling the fire – but it leaves the relationship on a downwards spiral of destruction.