Addiction is a contemporary epidemic which directly effects one in four individuals in America, and countless more worldwide. Though there is no one single cause for this modern malady, there are many factors which contribute to the development of the addict personality.

ADDICTION'S TARNISHED MIRROR
We can begin to understand the influence of family on addiction by exploring addiction's natural complement (and frequently, its underlying pathology), codependency. Codependency has been described by various experts as, 'relationship addiction', 'chronic external referenting', or my favorite, 'addiction to another person and their problems or to a relationship and its problems'. Symptoms of codependency include: difficulty identifying needs, making decisions, verbalizing requests, and the inability to form and maintain healthy long term relationships. Codependents also suffer from negativity, perfectionism, and underlying feelings of powerlessness, self-pity or shame. Codependent individuals have a hard time expressing their feelings and are constantly needing to: control, be controlled, stimulate, satisfy and entertain. They often crave approval and avoid confrontation. They are habitual fixers, martyrs, and saviors, more comfortable helping others than practicing consistent self-care. (Not surprisingly, a large percentage of those in the helping/healing professions are untreated codependents.)

AREN'T WE ALL
One important distinction: though varying degrees of codependent tendencies are found in most humans (we all want to avoid conflict, help others, and gain approval), these characteristics can be more intense and problematic in various individuals. Therefore, rather than simple black and white labeling, codependency may best be understood as a continuum with increasingly severe and painful symptoms as one approaches the far end of the scale.

Extreme co-dependancy is a serious disorder, and can be life threatening. Usually it is the result of being raised in a hostile, invalidating, or unpredictable environment. Aggravating factors may be the sudden death of a parent or sibling, religious fanaticism, extreme rule-oriented attitudes, and various forms of abuse and neglect. Often, there are emotionally unstable or unavailable parents exposing young children to rigid, overly competitive, or shaming behavior.

THE TWISTED FAMILY TREE
The relationship between addiction and co-dependancy is subtle and complex. Studies show that individuals become addicted to substances or develop other obsessive, self-destructive behaviors as a direct reaction to their own or family member's codependency.

In the lineage of addiction, the addict often marries a codependent. They produce children who tend toward either codependency, addiction or both. These children are likely to marry other codependents and addicts and recreate the cycle throughout the generations. Invariably, most addicts, when observing their family history, find no shortage of active alcoholic/addicts, co- dependents, or combinations of the two.

THE LEAKY VESSEL
 Yoga describes this external referenting as an excess of vital energy (prana) pushed, pulled or leaked outside the body. According to both Yoga and modern addiction theory, this persistent outward focus stems from, and deepens, a lack of connection with our core self, our consciousness, or 'cit' (12-step program's higher power). Clearly, this fundamental, habitual misdirection of awareness causes us to become obsessed or addicted to people, processes and substances outside ourselves. Yoga (and its root philosophy, Samhkya) maintains that incessant outward focus is the basis for all human sorrow.

According to Yoga's timeless teachings, the very source of our being, as well as the limitless confidence, wisdom, and joy it generates, exists at the core of each individual, and can be experienced and integrated by learning to focus attention in its direction. Yoga's central strategy, the underlying goal for which its tools are designed is 'svadhyaya', reflection, inward focus. Asana (posture), pranayama (breathwork), visualization, meditation, and chanting, correctly done, all serve to interiorize our attention.

A DIRECTION HOME
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Yoga's source text, is a detailed guidebook, a how-to manual for the focusing of awareness on a chosen object or in a chosen direction. According to the sutras, the systematic shift of attention should be correctly adapted for each individual (Yoga Sutra 3:6) and practiced with consistency, conviction and enthusiasm for a long period of time (YS 1:14). Through regular practice, the curse of codependency and the spell of addiction can be broken.

The results, whether it's referred to as long-term sobriety, kaivalya (freedom), paramananda (enduring joy) or a life which is happy, joyous and free, is certainly something to write home to the family about.