Common Codependent Relationships
In the examples below, the first person is dependent on the second person and the second person is actually the codependent one in the relationship … needing to be needed.
- A wife is excessively helpless around her husband … and the husband needs his wife to stay helpless.
- A husband is excessively needy in how he relates to his wife … and the wife needs him to stay needy.
- A student is excessively tied to a teacher … and the teacher needs the student to stay tied to him/her.
- A child is excessively pampered by the parent … and the parent needs the child to stay in need of pampering.
- An employee is excessively entangled with an employer … and the employer needs the employee to stay entangled.
- A friend is excessively fixated on another friend … and that person needs the friend to stay fixated.
- A counselee is excessively clinging to a counselor … and the counselor needs the counselee to continue clinging.
- A disciple is excessively dependent on a discipler … and the discipler needs the disciple to stay dependent.
- A spiritual seeker is excessively leaning on a spiritual leader … and the leader needs the seeker to continue leaning.
When we have a misplaced dependency, we have a misplaced trust. We are excessively trusting in the relationship to provide more than God intended. The Psalms describe a misplaced trust…
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lordour God.” (Psalm 20:7