Over the last couple decades, the way society views love, mental health and addiction has changed drastically. Most evidently in the world of addiction, we now know that you can be addicted to much more than just a chemical stimulant. Not that addiction to love, food, or even stress are new, or have somehow changed. […]
Codependent relationships all have certain characteristics in common. These relationships consist of one person who loves an individual who is addicted to some form of harmful behavior. Quite often someone we care deeply about is in a codependent relationship of one sort or another and as someone who cares about them as well, it’s our […]
Part of embracing the now is acknowledging your place in the world. Now, that may sound fatalistic but I assure you, I don’t mean to detract from anyone’s personal greatness nor uniqueness by making this statement. Rather, I believe that sometimes in our quest to find a niche for ourselves—a one-of-a-kind niche—we drift away from […]
Being human is an amazing experience, with all its wonders and flaws. Having the capability to perform complex mathematical problems and reason in philosophical abstracts is an amazing gift, and even the things that limit us—such as anxiety over what the future holds—are boons in their own way (plus, hey, opposable thumbs!). However, the intricacies […]
Understanding mindfulness from as many angles as possible will help you get the most out of the concept. Contrary to the beliefs of some, being mindful and utilizing the power of the present are far from new age concepts. Buddhists are among the oldest practitioners of the skill. Different sects of Buddhism define mindfulness in […]
From the time we are old enough to walk and talk people in our lives are always asking us, what we want to be when we grow up. The world is full of 5 year olds who want to be a Doctor, Princess, Movie Star, Mom, Dad, husband, or wife. The list goes on for […]
When the term codependency first came into use in the early 1980’s it was used to describe a person who was drawn to relationships with individuals who were chemically dependent, be it drugs or alcohol. In order to be diagnosed as codependent, S. Wegscheider-Cruise found that a person must meet three specific criteria. These included […]
If you were to ask a codependent how they got where they are, they probably couldn’t tell you. Sure, you can look at their past and see a cause and effect relationship between their childhood rearing and where they are today. It is very uncommon for a codependent personality to become aware of their disorder […]
One of the most common manners in which couples and family members find themselves in a co-dependent relationship occurs when one family member or partner is called upon to care for another. This can be caused by an addiction, physical illness, or mental disease and disability. How do you manage to be the selfless caregiver […]
Let’s face it; you’d have to be living under a rock to avoid hearing about the soon to be released motion picture based on the book, “50 Shades of Grey”. In a nut shell this book was written several years ago and took off like wild fire, it tells the story of a young impressionable […]
Are you in a painful relationship? This can be something that is not only difficult to admit to yourself, but nearly impossible to share with anyone else. Keeping your troubles a secret is a natural human instinct, and one that can be quite harmful in the even that you find yourself in a co-dependent relationship. […]
I’ve talked about how your own self-esteem can be your biggest enemy in regards to your recovery, and ability to develop a healthy relationship with your loved ones. Men and women both are at fault in this regard, women more so than men, but neither is immune. I would hesitate to guess how many people […]
