Addiction means to lose control over an activity (such as gambling) or use of a substance (such as alcohol or other drugs.) Co-dependency may happen to people who are close to someone with an addiction. Co-dependents lives are controlled by the addicted person's behavior. Their thoughts, feelings, and actions are determined by the addicted person.

Addiction is caused by several factors -- family history, stress, and personality are a few of the causes. Addicted people are often unable to admit that they can't stop their habit. They lose control, and without treatment they will continue their behavior.

Co-dependents can take charge of their lives by understanding how addiction affects their lives; seek help by learning to take care of their own needs; and have courage to guide themselves through the healing process.

Addictive Thinking
from "addictive Thinking" Workshop by Rabbi Abraham Twerski
September 8, 2000

One of the greatest frustrations experienced by an addiction therapist is talking to a client and feeling that he understood what was said, only to find out later that one might as well have been taking a foreign language. He seems to have not understood anything!

We are not surprised when we cannot understand a schizophrenic nor can he understand us. The psychotic mind does not operate rationally. But, the addict appears to be rational. Why the lack of understanding?

The thinking of the addict may appear to be rational, but it is deceptive. The addictive mind functions on another wavelength. Some of the discrepancies between normal and addictive thinking are: