Co-dependency and relationship addictions often go hand in hand and are very common among people who have or have had substance addictions. However, it is not particularly easy to identify as many people who believe they are in a loving and meaningful relationship with someone, are really just fulfilling a need that their addiction demands. This may sound like a harsh way of putting it and of course, people who have suffered from co-dependency or relationship addiction can be in loving relationships, but they can be hard to distinguish. Co-dependency can be most accurately characterised as an excessive reliance on other people for approval or a sense of identity. Obviously, this does not have to be within an intimate relationship but frequently crosses over into one.

For purposes of confidentiality, I will not be discussing specific relationships I have been in and instead I will merely be talking about my behaviour and actions.