The Myth of Codependency

Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash

In a recent article written for Vice, neuroscience journalist Maia Szalavitz, challenged the idea of codependence calling it a myth that needs to die.

In this article Szalavitz takes on the belief that “codependency,” the idea that partners and relatives of addicted people basically have a disease just like their loved ones — leading them to “enable” the problem by preventing addicts from “hitting bottom,” is inaccurate, unscientific, and harmful.

Szalavitz also believe its especially important to kill this myth now because of the high stakes involved in our current opioid crisis in America.

One thing is for sure the concept of codependency has gained tremendous popularity despite disagreements about its history, and a lack of empirical evidence supporting its use.

So is there such a thing as “codependency?”

According to Kimberley Calderwood & Anne Rajesparam of the University of Windsor, the concept of codependency emerged within the addiction field in the 1970’s to address unhealthy family relations that occurred as a result of substance misuse. And that a major flaw in the development of the concept was the lack of agreement on the definition of codependency.

Today definitions of codependency continue to vary widely. Most definitions, at least to some extent, include “external focusing, self-sacrificing, attempting to control other people, and suppressing one’s emotions.”

World-renowned author Melodie Beattie, who’s book Co-Dependent No More could be consider the bible of the codependency movement, suggests that the individual besieged by codependency is so affected by the person struggling with substance misuse that he or she “is obsessed with controlling that person’s behavior.” In her book, Beattie goes on to provide a list of 200 characteristics of a “codependent”. Arguably a criteria so varied, that anyone can qualify.

So what is the problem with the concept codependency?

Well Calderwood & Rajesparam provide several critiques from past to present:

1. Codependency lacks psychometric properties: As indicated earlier codependency has lacked a common definition from its inception, and to this day lacks empirically sound psychometric properties…