Summary

Codependency is a relational pattern where a person overfocuses on others' needs at the expense of their own, often to maintain connection or control chaos. It commonly shows up as excessive caretaking, poor boundaries, people pleasing, and enabling harmful behaviors. While not a DSM diagnosis, it is a clinically useful concept tied to family-of-origin dynamics, insecure attachment, and reinforcement cycles. Left unaddressed, it fuels burnout, anxiety, depression, and unstable relationships.