Can Codependent Behavior be Treated with Medication?

Codependent behavior is not actually classified as a disorder by most doctors or the medical association. It is listed as a group of behaviors that are maladaptive. This indicates that the codependent person ignores the problem, such as stressful thoughts and circumstances, and attempts to forget his or her problems by controlling a relationship. Someone may have confronted you about such behavior or you may know someone who exhibits the symptoms of codependency. Common symptoms include perfectionism, distrust of others and dominating behavior.

You may have looked into treatment options for codependent behavior. Mental health professionals find the subject of codependency controversial, as not all doctors agree with diagnosing codependency as a disease or a disorder. In fact, doctors state that there is no evidence suggesting that codependent traits are caused by any disease process in the brain, as are common disorders like depression or OCD.

Therefore, a psychiatrist would not be so quick to offer any medical prescription for codependency, because there is no physical treatment for this condition. The only medication that a doctor may prescribe or advise is taking something for symptoms of depression, which have been known to affect some codependent relationships. For the most part, codependency counseling is recommended.

The aim of these codependency meetings would be to help the person who is suffering, whether it is a codependent personality suffering from depression or a person who is frustrated by their partner’s controlling nature. Codependency may be an issue addressed in psychological therapy as well as in a codependency support group. Codependency support groups may help a person come to terms with the condition and provide moral support. However, the most important aspect of treating codependency is to focus on re-educating the person to deal with stress in productive ways.

For more information on codependency, visit the SelfCareExpert.com E-zine or the HowToBeSaneWhenLifeIsnt.com website for practical suggestions on overcoming this unclassified but potentially harmful condition.