Addiction. A family disease.

The book is dedicated to the psychology of addiction to psychoactive substances (alcoholism, drug addiction) and codependency. Codependency is a psychological state of family members of the sick individual. Sober relatives of such patients are emotionally involved in this illness. Relatives not only suffer themselves, but also build relationships within the family that hinder the recovery of the patient. Codependency affects wives, mothers, brothers, sisters, adult children, and even grandchildren of individuals suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction. The patients themselves also exhibit signs of codependency before the onset of the disease or after achieving sobriety. Codependent parents cannot successfully fulfill their parental duties, and the children suffer. Undesirable events are repeated in the family. Adult children are at high risk for multiple problems: developing addiction, psychosomatic illnesses, anxiety-depressive states, and often enter into difficult marriages. The book describes the patterns of life in such families (dysfunctional family). Codependency is treatable. For the first time in Russia, a program for overcoming codependency is proposed. Healing leads to more harmonious relationships within the family and serves as prevention of addiction in children. The book is written in a language accessible to relatives and friends of the sick individuals. At the same time, the book can serve as a guide for psychologists, psychotherapists, addiction specialists, psychiatrists, and social workers in their work with patients and their families. 9th edition, stereotyped.