Psychiatria pre prax 4/2007

CO–DEPENDENCE

The aim of this article is to increase awareness of neglected problems of co-dependence, its importance for clinical practice and the insufficient attention to the problem. The phenomena of co-dependence explains also the behavior of persons close to dependant individuals, their paradoxical hiding the problem from the surrounding, accepting and deepening proper suffering. The article summarizes information on the topic of co-dependence, attempts to provide new information for medical professionals caring for dependant patients and discusses the family therapy. Least but not last the authors would like to propagate the work of Ch. L. Whitfield.

Keywords: co-dependence, co-alcoholism, denying of myself, denying of reality, vicious circle, dysfunctional family, family destruction, dysfunction, emotional disorder.