What Is Codependency in Relationships (and Why It’s So Common)

Codependency is a relational pattern where connection is maintained through self-abandonment rather than mutual presence.

It often hides behind responsibility, loyalty, and being “the strong one.” Many people who struggle with codependency are caring, insightful, and deeply committed to growth. What they miss is how often they override their own needs to maintain connection.

In codependent dynamics, safety comes from being needed, useful, or emotionally attuned to others — often at the cost of one’s own truth. Over time, resentment, exhaustion, or emotional numbness follows.

Codependency is not a character flaw. It is a learned survival strategy. It once protected connection. In adult relationships, it quietly erodes it.

Healing begins when connection is no longer bought through self-erasure, but built through honesty and choice. With Love Beatrice