Codependency refers to a longstanding tendency to attend to the needs of others while minimizing or ignoring one's personal sense of need.

It is typically a trait that is learned in childhood and carried through to potentially problematic results in adult life.

Codependent refers to a person who has a strong tendency to care for the needs of others while neglecting their own needs and health.

The codpendent person tends to harbor quiet wishes that others will recognize their needs - and reciprocate for their efforts - by helping to meet their personal needs.

Persons with unrecognized codependent tendencies may find themselves in unsatisfying relationships, feeling frustrated or resentful of others with ability to enjoy themselves.

This tendency was first described in those who grew up in a home with an alcoholic parent or who found themselves in an adult relationship with an alcoholic.

A Compulsion is a near iirresistible impulse to do something. It is expereinced as a 'pull' towards a certain substance or behavior. Compulsion to use or to drink is a hallmark of addiction.

A Compulsion is a deep and driving force that is no longer related to any reasons why a person began to use drugs in the first place. It is beyond any logical rationale or psychological meaning - arising from deeper areas of the brain and personhood.

Those who are addicted to a substance may feel compelled to use the drug even though they know it is not healthy to do so.

Concurrent Disorder is a term that refers to the co-occurrence of substance abuse or addiction and another psychiatric disorder.

For example, a person with alcohol dependence and panic disorder would be said to have a concurrent disorder. Sometimes the terms Dual Diagnosis or Dual Disorder are used instead of Concurrent Disorder.

A drug Counselor is a professional person who is trained to provide education and guidance about recovery from addiction

Crack is a highly addictive form of cocaine that typically is smoked to produce an immediate, brief and intensly euphoric effect.

Cross Addiction refers to the tendency of Addiction and compulsion to express itself in multiple ways or differently at different times in a person’s life.

A person with alcohol and gambling addiction is said to be Cross Addicted. One who stops using alcohol and then develops a problem with compulsive gambling is also said to have cross addiction.

Those with Cyclothymic Disorder have persistent shifts in mood that may have little relation to what is occurring in their life.