I'm new here, but I'm not new to the co-dependent thing... I wish there was aco-dependent union with retirement benefits!
I'm guessing at this, but I think recovery is like anything else in life... a person can hear the same information from a hundred sources but until it clicks with them they don't act on it. I think sometimes the right person (not necessarily a mate) can come along and say the right thing in just the right terms and a person will "get it" at last. I think that's just the way we are as people. I have been told over & over again that the addict doesn't really start recovery until they truly WANT to... its like any other icky monumental chore, it takes motivation.
I'm glad I found this site.