"Codependency" is a term that psychologists use to describe a set of personality characteristics that many of us develop while growing up with emotionally unstable, addicted, or mentally ill family members. Codependency can distort our sense of self-esteem, exaggerate our need for approval, stifle our enjoyment of life, and lead us to obsess over our relationships. Worst of all, it can render us unable to properly love and care for ourselves.