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The term ‘codependency’ is used non-medically to describe an unbalanced relationship dynamic where one partner needs the other person constantly, and the other person has the urge to manipulate and control them. Reading the best codependency books can help you determine whether you are in such a relationship and guide you about your next steps.
If you often make sacrifices for your partner without them reciprocating or find your loved one ignoring their own needs for your sake, you might be in a codependent relationship. Fortunately, these books can help you gain insights into managing such relationships and help you communicate with your partner.
Below, we’ve listed some helpful and easy-to-understand books on codependency to make things easier for you. So, read on and add some to your shopping cart.
Top Picks
11 Best Codependency Books
1. Best To Maintain Boundaries:Boundaries
Boundaries has helped nearly four million people to take charge of their lives and overcome the codependency in their relationships. The authors, Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend throw light on setting boundaries in your life and learning to say yes or no at the right time to have a balanced, controlled, and healthy life.It allows you to establish principles and clarify what you should expect from a relationship, and give in return while caring for yourself.This videowill give you more insights into the product.
Point to consider2. Best For Healing Steps:Codependent No More
In this book, Melody Beattie, one of the most renowned self-help authors, points out how you could find happiness for yourself.The book highlights how to set boundaries in an unhealthy relationship and release the hold of codependency on your life.
With life stories, self-analysis exercises, and personal reflections, the book helps understand whether you are in a codependent relationship and how you can overcome it. The author’s simple words will help you navigate the complex world of codependency and find your way out of it. To make an informed decision before buying, you can check outthis video.
3. Best For Self-Analysis:Facing Codependence
Pia Mellody and her co-authors draw a framework for identifying codependent relationships and help you find a path towards a healthier, balanced relationship. The authors put forth five symptoms of codependency and point out how it could be deeply rooted in childhood instances. These instances impact adult behavior, leading to codependency.
The book explores the ways to heal a codependent individual by acknowledging past painful experiences.It mentions the guidelines about parent-child relationships and maintaining a healthy relationship to prevent codependency in such scenarios. Click here to check outthis YouTuber’sunbiased review.
4. Best For Parent-Child Relationship:The Human Magnet Syndrome
The Human Magnet Syndrome, written by Ross Rosenberg, explores the phenomenon of developing a codependent relationship. It helps you realize why you continued to love and stay loyal to a hurtful relationship.This book explains how natural it is to feel attracted towards interesting, selfish, and self-obsessed narcissists and how it could affect your life. It will help you understand the early indications of a codependent relationship and shows you ways to pull out of it without hurting yourself.
5. Best For Early Indications:Codependents Anonymous
The book states a 12-step principle that you can apply to your daily life and stories to help you identify a codependent relationship. Ithelps you understand the crucial aspects of codependency and explains how you can find freedom and establish a healthier, independent relationship.
Did you know?6. Best For Healthy Relationship:You’re Not Crazy – You’re Codependent
The interactive book by Jeanette Elisabeth Menter will help you identify if you have been in a codependent relationship. Whether you have been affected by trauma, addiction, or your partner, codependency could creep into your relationship without your awareness.
The book includes a guide to recovery that suggests simple mindful acts to overcome harsh feelings that might affect you or your partner. It allows you to realize the underlying reasons behind codependency and helps you to enjoy a normal, healthy relationship.
7. Best For Awareness:Codependency For Dummies
The second edition of Codependency For Dummies is a comprehensive book highlighting the dynamics of codependency with sensitive information on its causes and symptoms. The author covers guidelines and plans for recovering from a codependent relationship, giving practical advice, reminders, and ways to honor and respect yourself. There are chapters including twelve steps to overcome codependency, express yourself better, and break the pattern of a codependent relationship.
8. Best For Advice:The Codependency Workbook
With evidence-based tools and exercises, this workbook helps you emerge from a codependent relationship with ease. The book is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with practical exercises to enable you to identify and break out of codependent patterns.
There are in-depth explanations, modular approaches, and easy-to-use strategies to snap out of a codependent relationship, set boundaries, and establish a healthy relationship while prioritizing your feelings.
9. Best For Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:The Christian Codependence Recovery Workbook
Stephanie A. Tucker’s codependence recovery workbook contains guidelines for the participants and the group leaders. The book takes you through a journey to identify the system of love, relationships, and life. It offers the healing principles of the Lord Jesus Christ with a fresh perspective and liberates you from the burden of a codependent relationship. This book helps you embrace balanced and healthy relationships.
10. Best For Confidence:Courage To Cure Codependency
The book by Leah Clarke is a guide to help you through the stages of a codependent relationship by self-analysis and notable signs. It enables you to identify codependency and overcome it through a step-wise approach. If you have been exhibiting codependent behavior and need guidance to prevent yourself from imposing your weakness on others, this book can be helpful.
The book has seven healing steps, drawing boundaries, saying no, and regaining self-esteem and confidence. It also highlights how to avoid going back into a codependent relationship after recovery and establish a healthy relationship for good.
Quick tip11. Best For Healing Steps:Codependent No More
Codependent No More by Shell Teri explains how codependency could affect a relationship and helps you identify if you are in it. It highlights the cause and effect of a codependent relationship and the ways to overcome it. With a scientific and psychological approach backed by case studies, the author analyzes the degenerating effects of codependency and helps you learn the differences between a healthy and a toxic codependent relationship. It has a free guide with ten tips to know everything about codependency, from how it develops to how you can overcome it.
How To Choose The Right Codependency Book?
Here are a few points to consider when buying a codependency book.
- Content:Most codependent books highlight the codependent relationship’s causes, symptoms and provide guidelines. There are books with scientific approaches based on CBT therapy, while others list steps to overcome an imbalanced relationship. You should identify which book would provide you the ideal content and guidance.
- Author:Some authors approach the issue based on life experiences and stories, while others base their findings on established data. Please read about the authors and their writing styles to find the right book for yourself.
- Language:The way of writing or the choice of vocabulary may vary in books, and it is essential to find a book you can understand and adopt in your daily life.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Wedetso Chirhah is a voracious reader who enjoys writing well-researched reviews on books of several genres. He has handpicked these top books on codependency after going through several online forums and reader reviews to find the most helpful ones. These books are sure to offer a fresh perspective on balancing the dynamics of your relationships to make them healthier.
The list of books suggested in this post will help you examine your relationship and other aspects related to it. An unbalanced relationship can be draining for both partners, and therefore, to avoid any form of toxicity, you must avoid being codependent on your partner.Flora Ong, a dating and relationship coach and an integrated attachment specialist, says, “Focusing on others–our problems with others, our need for others, and our contempt for others–is simply the mind’s way of distracting us from the task at hand. That task is YOU. When you realize that, the road ahead becomes clear.” Choose a book that has content suitable to your situation and something you can relate to.
Infographic: How To Spot A Codependent Relationship?
Codependency in relationships involves an unhealthy reliance on one another, often resulting in an imbalance of needs and a lack of personal boundaries. It can hinder individual growth and lead to personal problems. If you are wondering what codependency looks like, check out the following infographic. It highlights the common symptoms or traits of codependency.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.
Download Infographic
References:
- What Is A Dysfunctional Family And How Does It Lead To Co-Dependency?
https://www.mhanational.org/co-dependency#:~:text=What%20Is%20A%20Dysfunctional%20Family%20And%20How%20Does%20It%20Lead%20To%20Co%2DDependency%3F
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