Codependency: a family addiction

Codependency is a common and treatable family-system illness that develops in reaction to the stress of addiction or another "shameful secret" in a family member. This stressful environment induces emotional changes in each family member and creates a variety of pathologic family roles. For the family physician, brief therapy for the codependent family can be visibly effective when combined with follow-up and referral to resources such as Al-Anon family groups.