Post by chrissy on Feb 15, 2009 16:31:19 GMT -8
At our worst we women who love too much are relationships addicts, "man junkies" strung out on pain, fear and yearning. As if this weren't bad enough, men may not be the only thing we're hooked on.
Not everyone woman who loves too much also eats too much or drinks too much or uses too many drugs, but for those of us who do, our recovery from relationship addiction must go hand in hand with our recovery from addiction to whatever substance we abuse.
A vicious cycle is created when physical dependence on a substance is exacerbated by the stress of an unhealthy relationship and emotional dependence on a relationship is intensified by the chaotic feelings engendered by physical addiction.
We use being without a man or being with the wrong man to explain and excuse or physical addiction. Conversely our continued use of the addictive substance allows us to tolerate our unhealthy relationship by numbing our pain and robbing us of our motivation necessary for change.
We blame one for the other. We use one to deal with the other. And we become more and more hooked on both.[/b][/center]
