Codependency is when there is a relationship in which one partner has extreme physical or emotional needs, and the other partner dedicates themselves to fulfilling those needs. A lot of the time, addiction and codependency are experienced simultaneously, and it can make it that much more difficult to recover.

What Is Codependency and Addiction?

It is common for those struggling with addictions to become codependent with certain relationships. Depending on the situation, many people tend to lean on one another that much more closely during vulnerable moments. Codependency and addiction can manifest itself in a multitude of ways. Codependency can occur in partners who are both abusing drugs, in children of people who are addicted to drugs, and with close adult family members or significant others of an addict.

When a person is in a codependent relationship with someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, both parties may experience negative side effects. Some of the risks of this behavior include the inability to focus on responsibilities outside of the relationship with this person, increased risk of developing an addiction, loss of relationships outside of the codependent relationship, and neglecting your own needs to care for someone else’s.

For the person who is struggling with addiction and codependency, the codependent relationship can have a severe impact on the addiction itself. Being codependent and relying on someone else to take care of you can severely impact the recovery process. Codependency can also turn into enabling. When an addict knows that they are being taken care of so closely, they may brush off getting help because they feel that they are already being helped. Additionally, the idea that the addiction may one day be resolved may scare either party off because they are scared to alter the intensity of their relationship.

When a person is struggling with addiction as well as codependency, it should be addressed and taken into account when starting treatment. First and foremost, there are studies that show higher relapse rates in individuals who exude codependent tendencies. Because the codependent partner may feel dependent on the addiction to maintain the relationship, returning to the relationship as it was after treatment may incur a risk for relapse for the addicted partner.

The Best Books on Codependency and Addiction

There are various ways to get help when attempting to get over a codependent relationship that involves addiction. First, it is highly important that you address the nature of your relationship at the start of rehab. From there, literature is a great place to turn to look for answers.

Some of the best books to help with codependency and addiction are: Codependent No More by Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie, The Power of Letting Go by John Purkiss, It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn, Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend, Facing Codependence by Pia Mellody and more.

How To Get Your Loved One Help With Addiction Today

Addiction is a complex disease that affects not only the person who is going through it, but also their loved ones and all the people they surround themselves with. It can be an extremely devastating thing to watch someone you love go through, therefore it is important to seek help from the right places.

Rehab offers therapy, psychoanalysis, medical supervision, and an incredible team of around-the-clock support that is essential to the recovery of someone who is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Valley Recovery Center in Agua Dulce is an incredible place to start your recovery journey and to start making both yourself and your loved ones proud. Please visit us today to learn more about how you can recover from an addiction to drugs, alcohol, codependency, and more.

Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Addiction is a disease categorized by the compulsive overconsumption of a harmful substance despite knowing the negative implications the drugs are having on your body. There are various indications that you yourself are suffering from an addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Some of the symptoms that you are suffering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol include the compulsive need to consume the drug regularly (daily or several times per day), building up a tolerance to the drug where you need more of the drug than you initially used in order to feel the effects, having intense urges for the drug that distract you from other thoughts, consuming larger amounts of the substance that you initially intended on taking, spending money that you may not have, not meeting obligations or work responsibilities, cutting back on social activities you once found enjoyable, continuing to use the drug even though you are aware of its harmful side effects, doing things outside your normal behavior to obtain the drug (such as stealing), failing in your attempts to stop using the drug even though you may want to, and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using the drug.

There are also behavioral and physical signs to look out for when you suspect a loved one might be experiencing a drug addiction. Some of the behavioral signs include missing work or school, suddenly not showing up for activities they once enjoyed, isolation or hanging out with different groups of people, changes in behavior, mood swings, lack of energy, and changes in sleep patterns. Some physical signs to look out for, which may depend on the individual as well as the substance they are abusing, include sudden changes in appearance such as weight loss or gain, break-outs of the skin, bloodshot eyes, expanded pupils, slurred speech, lack of coordination, rapid or rambling speech, mouth sores and tooth decay, and chills and sweating.

The Importance of Finding an Alcohol and Drug Evaluation Near Me

When you or a loved one decides it is time to seek help for an addiction, it is imperative to undergo a drug evaluation. Drug evaluations allow medical staff, therapists, and addiction specialists to treat you based on your specific diagnosis. There are many cases in which addiction is coupled with a mental health disorder, otherwise known as ‘dual diagnosis,’ and treatment for dual diagnosis is entirely different from treatment for addiction alone.

It is unwise to treat a patient that has not had a proper drug evaluation. The implications of doing so will cause a higher chance of relapse because the patient had not been treated in full. For example, if you are suffering from a drug addiction, and you are also suffering from anxiety and depression, without treating both the mental health disorder as well as the substance use disorder, the patient will leave rehab without treating the root of the problem. Additionally, patients who might be suffering from a mental health disorder might require certain medications that they must start taking under strict medical supervision.

Reach Out to the Team at VRC Agua Dulce Today

If you or a loved one is suspected to be suffering from an addiction and/or mental health disorder, we urge you to undergo an alcohol and drug evaluation “near me” so you can receive a proper diagnosis and get the help you need to overcome your condition. Start your recovery process the right way.