In a codependent relationship, we will often prioritize the needs and wants of our partner over our own needs. You rely on your partner for happiness and acceptance, and use your partner to fill your own internal wounds.
Codependent relationships are typically not something that just happens. Usually, codependency forms in childhood when the children’s needs are not met and instead have to put their parent’s or family’s needs above their own. There can be many reasons for this, such as a toxic or narcissistic parent, a parent suffering from addiction, or simply a parent that was emotionally unavailable or unstable.
When we are dealing with a codependent relationship, we can experience and feel a lot of different things.
Here are the 5 main signs that you could be in a codependent relationship:
1. Loss of Self
When we tie our values and happiness to another person, it can be difficult to be alone with ourselves and do things independently. This could be doing old hobbies that we used to love or simply sitting with our own thoughts. It is easier to focus our attention on someone else rather than focusing on our own needs. You may even cancel plans to carve out even more time to spend with your partner, missing out on opportunities to connect with other people.
