# Codependent Relationships

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codependent-relationships/307569>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 9, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codependent-relationships/307569 "2005-06-09T06:46:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gaius.Cornelius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gaius.Cornelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaius.Cornelius)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codependent-relationships/307569/1 "2005-06-09T06:46:12Z")

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I have sometimes heard couples being described as “codependent”. On the face of it, people depending on each other sounds like a good thing. However, it is clear from the context that being “codependent” is regarded as bad. What exactly does codependent mean and what is so bad about it?

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**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codependent-relationships/307569/2 "2005-06-09T06:51:12Z")

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[Link](http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/43.cfm) to some information on co-dependency.

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**Author:** ![Gaius.Cornelius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gaius.Cornelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaius.Cornelius)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codependent-relationships/307569/3 "2005-06-09T16:30:50Z")

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Definitly not a good thing then.

It is a strange expression, it seems that one can be co-dependent all on your own.