#relationship # Codependence Codependence fundamentally is being emotionally dependent on another person. The most common way this happens is a person becomes upset and the codependent is unable to interact with them without also becoming upset themselves. Relationships between codependent people often spiral once one person becomes sad, as the other cannot avoid also becoming sad, which makes the first person even sadder, and it's a race to the bottom. The opposite of codependency is emotional independence. Healthy relationships are interdependent, but not codependent.