The Baggage

(Recovery Area 2)

Gathered unknowingly as a result of growing up in addiction and in a dysfunctional family:

• The load of feeling responsible for the feelings of his or her addict parent(s).
• The load of his / her own unresolved and repressed pain (coping with pain alone).
• The load of having to be perfect (or invisible).
• The load of not ever feeling good enough.
• The load of emotional support for the addict.

Approval seeking as a way of life

(Recovery Area 3)

• Excessive explaining and compulsive explaining.
• Compulsive Look-See-What-I've-Done behavior.
• Becoming invisible.
• Compulsive Caretaking. (I "need" to help you in order to feel safe).
• Compulsive Is-It-Ok-With-You? behavior.
• I'd better not lose (I need to win to feel good about myself).
• I'd better not fail (I need to do everything well so you'll like me).
• I'd better not look less than my best at all times.
• I'd better not affirm my self, so you do it.
• "Fishing" for approval.

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