"Eighty-two percent of the world are probably somewhat, codependent. People are trying to control others, instead of taking care of themselves." (William Yarroll, interview) The term codependency came about in treatment centers in the 1970's. "The heartland of chemical dependency treatment and twelve-step programs for compulsive disorders, discovered it." (Beattie 33) By 1979, women from alcohol anonymous made a meeting for codependence with a twelve-step program.
             There are many reasons why and how people became codependent. The people they share environments with, unless they have good boundaries directly affect people. Codependency has many definitions and meanings. "The definition of chemical dependency means being dependent psychologically and/or physically on alcohol or other drugs." (Beattie 31) Drugs and alcohol are the most common. "A codependent person is one who has let another person's behavior affect him or her, and who is obsessed with controlling that person's behavior." (Beattie 36) Other definitions describe symptoms. There were two stories of examples, I read of other types of codependency. One lady married the man of her dreams and found out later he was a sex addict. Even though he cheated on her, she stayed with him and became obsessed with where and what he was doing. Another lady let other people's mood control her emotions. If they were unhappy, she wasn't and it felt like she had something to do with it. She would drive herself nuts, until they felt better. These are only just two of many examples of stories of codependency. There are many more that you hear about through friends and by reading books.
             Codependents tend to put on fronts in order to deal with
             the stuff that is happening to and around them. "They
             have said yes when they meant to say no. They have
             tried to make other people see things their way. Th...