Co-dependence was originally used as a term for the disease that affects people involved in a close relationship with an alcoholic or a chemically dependent person. This book argues that in fact co-dependence is just one form of the addictive process, an underlying, generic, primary disease whose assumptions, beliefs, and lack of spiritual awareness are openly supported by the society in which we live. This book discusses the impact of the author's theories on the fields of mental health, chemical dependency, family therapy, and the women's movement. She also traces the history and development of the concept of co-dependence and discusses its often confusing, overlapping definitions.