Codependency can impact a person’s ability to have a healthy, mutually satisfying relationship and often sees people forming or maintaining relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructive, and/or abusive.
While there may always be some amount of “dependency” (need or reliance on a partner) in any relationship, co-dependency refers to experiences much more significant and problematic/damaging. This is not a mere reliance on a partner, but rather an emotional dependence of the partners on each other to function in day-to-day life. The partner(s) may choose to remain in this relationship even if it hurts them, perhaps because they cannot at that moment see any other possibility, and due to lack of access to support as well.