Co-dependency

• Being unable to leave a relationship because it is familiar, even though it is depriving and hurtful.
  
  
• Feeling deserving of love, but not being able to accept love.
  
  
• Feeling the problems of the relationship are your fault and feeling afraid to express critical, angry feelings.
  
  
• Lack of boundaries: co-dependents are so externally oriented they take on other's emotions.
  
  
• Mistrusting perceptions-co-dependents dismiss their own impressions of a situation. Another 's perception is trusted instead of their own.
  
  
• Caretaking due to low self-esteem: co-dependents neglect themselves to care for others. However, others are not allowed to meet the needs of the co-dependent.
  
  
• Co-dependents can often develop dependencies and addictions themselves.
  
  
• Codependents can become so preoccupied in fulfilling the expectations of others that they lose touch with their own feelings.
  
  
• Co-dependents can become addicted to relationships in the same way alcoholics do alcohol-to get a "fix" or "high."