Co-dependency

Suffering because you care too much
Co-dependency is a condition in which someone exhibits too much, and often inappropriate care for a person. Often the person you care so much about suffers from a drug or alcohol-related problem. As a co-dependent, you may also be dealing with feelings of shame and you might be so occupied by someone else's well-being that you  forget your own.

You can also look at co-dependency as a set of dysfunctional behaviors learned by family members in order to survive emotional pain.

Shame is best described as a personal feeling that one is not good enough, not deserving and/or inherently flawed. Most of us who feel such shame tend to believe that other people are better than they actually are. Others deny the feelings of worthlessness by overcompensating and appearing arrogant or obnoxious. Both of these scenarios reflect severe shame in an individual.

Feeling disconnected from yourself
When you are always admiring or putting others down, you are, in reality, disconnected from yourself. It becomes impossible to meet you own emotional, physical or spiritual needs. The pain associated with this type of loneliness – coupled with the core feeling of shame – often drives people into making many harmful decisions in an attempt to cope.

Smith & Jones will help you learn to value yourself.
If you want to recognize and meet your own needs, communicate your desires appropriately and re-establish the healthy boundaries you need to value if you want to help your loved one without suffering, contact us for help.