“We don’t have to take things so personally. We take things to heart that we have no business taking to heart. For instance, saying 'If you loved me you wouldn’t drink' to an alcoholic makes as much sense as saying 'If you loved me, you wouldn’t cough' to someone who has pneumonia. Pneumonia victims will cough until they get appropriate treatment for their illness. Alcoholics will drink until they get the same. When people with a compulsive disorder do whatever it is they are compelled to do, they are not saying they don’t love you — they are saying they don’t love themselves.”
— Melody Beattie, Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself
Tagged: Codependency, Loving An Addict
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Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself

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