In relationship, often people tend to get codependent on each other. This can come from the excessive need of relying on someone else, often with the intention of pushing our entire responsibilities on them. This can, however, become toxic with time. As people tend to become more inclined to give their entire responsibility on their partner, it can help in creating an unhealthy pattern in the relationship. However, it is important to manage such patterns of codependency. Psychologist Emily H Sanders, in her recent Instagram post, addressed this and wrote, “Codependency is a spectrum, and we are all on it, ranging from independent/detached to codependent/dependent. The ideal is to shoot for the middle and be interdependent. For those who have been on the journey to address their codependency, how did you know you were growing?”
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She further set seven goals for the ones who are trying to manage codependency:
Notice and identify: Rather than focusing on what people think about others, it is important to notice and identify the emotions, especially the ones laden in anxiety.
Boundaries: To make and hold the boundaries to become safe in terms of emotions, is an important trait of managing codependency.
Validate: Learning to create validation for your own self rather than focusing on what people think, is important and one of the first steps of self-love.
Needs: It is important to give priority to the needs and wants of ourselves, and making ourselves priorities.
Express needs: Express the needs and expectations that you have with other people and allow them to fulfill the needs.
Connect with yourself: It is important to connect with yourself and find the peace in being alone with yourself, rather than seeking validation and company of others at all times.
Explore: Explore yourself and find things that interests, excites you and makes you feel happy.