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Old 03-12-2011, 08:15 AM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Tuffgirl
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 4,719
I know mental illness very well; my family has struggled with it for 20+ years. Been down that road, bought and worn the t-shirt many, many times. Now, I get myself involved with an alcoholic. Wow - the behaviors are very similar to mental illness. And the bottom line is the same...a brain completely out of whack and unable to right itself without some kind of intervention. Just had to say that, because it has come up many times this week. I don't think all addicts are "mentally ill" and all people with a mental illness are addicts, but the behaviors on both sides can look the same because the underlying issue is a brain chemistry issue. If your brain isn't functioning correctly, whatever the cause may be, there is bound to be some behaviors manifesting from that malfunction that appear crazy.

That said, I often wonder how easy it is for us to confuse codependency with interdependency. The more I read about codependency and the more I participate in Al-Anon, the more I realize I have some codependency issues, yes, but I am really not that bad off as far as being able to right myself again quickly and find some balance. That I can easily think for myself and put myself first, but that I do need people (interdependence) and can't go through life without the support of others around me.

Sometimes that line blurs, and sometimes its very clear.

And reality TV is an oxymoron... whenever we are on "stage" we are not being real. Real reality TV would be very boring to watch!
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