How to Stop Being Codependent: 10 Tips to Overcome It

Updated 08/13/2024

Codependency is an imbalanced relationship dynamic that can cause you to become emotionally and physically reliant on another person. Over time, this unhealthy pattern can interfere with relationships and contribute to depression or low self-esteem.

Many people struggle with codependency, making it difficult to build healthy and mutually satisfying relationships. It can be tough to change these habits, but with therapy, self-care, and the right coping strategies, codependent individuals can learn how to overcome codependency and establish healthy, rewarding relationships. 

Read on to learn nine proven, effective steps you can take if you are trying to learn how to not be codependent in your relationships. 

1. Understand the Root of Your Codependency

Before you can effectively address codependency, it’s crucial to understand its root causes. Codependency often stems from early relationship dynamics, particularly in families where personal boundaries are blurred or where one’s emotional needs are entangled with those of another. This kind of upbringing can lead codependent individuals to seek out or maintain relationships where they find themselves excessively emotionally reliant on others.

Understanding the origin of your codependent patterns involves recognizing the behaviors that characterize such relationships. These might include prioritizing another’s needs over your own to an unhealthy extent, fear of abandonment, and difficulty expressing set boundaries. By acknowledging these deep-seated drivers, you can begin to unravel the motivations behind your codependent habits and initiate meaningful change.

2. Work to Improve Your Self Esteem

Research suggests that there’s a link between codependency and low self-esteem. When you have a negative perception of your self-worth, it can be difficult to set healthy relationship boundaries and advocate for your own needs. Learning to value yourself can increase your confidence and let you become more self-reliant, so you don’t have to turn to someone else for the strength you have within.

Of course, it’s worth pointing out that you don’t always need to be strong, and often in life, we do need to lean on other trusted people, but when you’re in a codependent friendship or relationship, that need and codependency is unhealthy and can ultimately be crippling. 

If you want to learn how to stop codependency, you can: 

• Work to build self-respect
• Replace negative self-talk with positive affirmations that’ll boost your confidence levels
• Stop being too afraid to recognize your strengths 
• Set aside time for the things that matter to you

3. Set and Enforce Boundaries

Boundaries are a way to express how you want to be treated. Not only is setting boundaries an important part of learning how to not be codependent, but personal boundaries can help you reduce the amount of stress and anxiety in your life.

Think carefully about what you need to be healthy and happy in your life. Do you need to have some time to yourself each day? Take it! Would you like friends and family to call or text before they stop by? Ask them to! Do you feel like you’re not respected or valued in certain relationships? Let them know that! 

Once you’ve determined the boundaries you’d like to establish, communicate them in a firm but respectful way. To set boundaries, you should:

• Think about situations and relationships that make you uncomfortable or unhappy
• Figure out where the line is being crossed
• Determine how you can feel better
• Communicate your needs with those who are crossing boundaries
• Establish and express consequences if someone doesn’t respect your boundary
• Trust in your decision, and follow through with repercussions 

5. Strengthen Your Communication Skills

Communication is key to any healthy relationship. Studies consistently show that couples who communicate with each other have a higher rate of relationship satisfaction. Communicating with others can help you to express your needs and break codependent habits. 

If you’re trying to figure out how to stop being codependent, try the following:

• Don’t assume that you know what your partner is thinking or feeling
• Ask open-ended questions that give them the chance to express their thoughts
• Set aside time to talk so that both you and your partner have the chance to say what’s on your mind

6. Spend Time on Your Own 

Asking yourself questions like how do I stop being codependent can put an incredible amount of pressure on you. Rather, you can start overcoming codependency by taking some small steps towards independence. For example, you can:

• Find activities you enjoy doing alone 
• Re-invest in friendships you’ve been neglecting 
• Find ways to connect with new people
• Take time for yourself 

Whether you sign up for a class, spend time at the gym, or start journaling for mental health, it’s important to have a life outside any relationship. Spending time on your own can also be a way to learn more about yourself and what you want out of life. 

7. Focus on Personal Growth

In order to learn how to stop being codependent, you’ll need to grow as a person. Self-improvement can help you see your own value and become more aware of your personal strengths. Setting aside time for personal growth can be a way to practice self-care and create a satisfying life outside your relationships. 

Evaluate your life and think about your goals for the future. 

• Are you satisfied with your career? 
• Is there something you’d like to accomplish in life? 
• Are your relationships supportive and nurturing?

Once you’ve thought about where you want to be, find ways to work towards those goals gradually. 

8. Learn More About Codependency 

It’s hard to change when you don’t know what to work on. Deepening your understanding of codependency can help you recognize codependent behaviors and patterns in your own relationships. It can also make you more aware of the harm that codependency patterns cause. 

• Seek out resources that will teach you how to overcome codependency 
• Read books on codependent relationships
• Listen to experts and learn from what they have to say
• Attend a Codependents Anonymous meeting
• Find a therapist with experience in breaking codependent pattern cycles

Once you’re more familiar with codependency, you’ll be able to focus on addressing and changing damaging habits in your relationships.

9. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a way of thinking that teaches you to be present and in the moment. Instead of ruminating on the past or worrying about the future, you can focus on what’s happening now. Studies have shown that mindfulness can significantly reduce anxiety levels and improve emotional well-being, both of which are common struggles for people with codependent tendencies.

Many codependent people aren’t in touch with their own wants and needs. Mindfulness can help you: 

• Connect with your feelings 
• Stay in the moment
• Trust your needs
• Let go of negative thoughts and stop seeking approval from others

Mindfulness is a powerful technique that can help you learn how to not be codependent. 

10. Work with a Therapist 

Codependent behaviors are often linked with past trauma. If you’ve been asking yourself how to stop being codependent and you haven’t been able to find an answer on your own, don’t be afraid to seek professional help.

A therapist can help you process your feelings and identify unhealthy patterns in your relationships. Over time, either in-person or online therapy can help you:

• Improve your mental health and awareness
• Boost your self-confidence
• Express your needs and desires in healthier ways
• Trust that you know what you need and can achieve success on your own 

Break Free from Codependent Cycles

Ending codependent relationship patterns might leave you feeling uneasy or uncertain at first, but in the long run, these changes can be incredibly empowering. 

Learning how to stop being codependent means you can start to build mutually satisfying, healthy relationships, take control of your life, and, ultimately, find happiness. 

Change isn’t always going to be easy, but it is possible. To break free of codependent cycles, you’ll need to work on yourself and learn to nurture your own needs. You’ll need to be honest with yourself and those in your life who contribute to your codependent behavior. 

Thankfully, this truly isn’t something you have to do alone. A therapist can provide you with guidance and support throughout the difficult process of breaking free from destructive habits that are holding you back.

Sources:

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2. Knudson T, Terrell H. Codependency, Perceived Interparental Conflict, and Substance Abuse in the Family of Origin. Am J Fam Ther. 2012;40(3):245-257. doi:10.1080/01926187.2011.610725. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01926187.2011.610725. Accessed September 20, 2022.

3. Johnson M, Lavner J, Mund M et al. Within-Couple Associations Between Communication and Relationship Satisfaction Over Time. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2021;48(4):534-549. doi:10.1177/01461672211016920. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01461672211016920. Accessed September 20, 2022.

4. Crego A, Yela J, Gómez-Martínez M, Riesco-Matías P, Petisco-Rodríguez C. Relationships between Mindfulness, Purpose in Life, Happiness, Anxiety, and Depression: Testing a Mediation Model in a Sample of Women. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(3):925. doi:10.3390/ijerph18030925. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7908241/. Accessed September 20, 2022.