It is hard not to be obsessed when someone you love is killing himself. I don't know that it is necessarily the same as someone who is chemically dependent. It's just my opinion, but I think the term co-dependent gets slapped on anyone who hates seeing people they love cause themselves pain. Aren't there any guidelines for codependency?
Also, for curiosity's sake, do you think it is possible to just be codependent with one person? Maybe I was codependent with the alcoholic, because he has a progressive disease. But if he was the only sick person I concerned myself with, does that make me a co-dependent? And if so, why is it so bad to want to help someone? Just wondering about it all.