Originally Posted by
180Man 
I was supposed to move out last weekend but my wife is experiencing severe fatigue following the meditation retreat (she has adrenal fatigue syndrome) and has asked me to help her as much as I can. She has told me I can stay until she feels able to start taking care of herself again.
I have been thinking about this post since I read it yesterday. From my reading and in my experience talking with co-dependent and formally co-dependent wives of alcoholics, adrenal fatigue is something that happens to quite a few of us.
Just because we are not the addict doesn't mean that we escape the physical effects of an addiction. In my case, I knew I was psychologically screwed up and co-dependent but I didn't expect physical scars. For example, myself and my children all had a totally screwed "fight or flight" response. A door slamming, a car backfiring or someone yelling in the street for example, had us shaking. This continued long after the alcoholic had been banned from our home.
Even now, almost 6 years later, I will have over exaggerated physical responses when I am afraid or when I hear a loud, unexpected noise.
Living/walking on eggshells for so long is very damaging both mentally and physically.