Robert Burney once coined the term "co-dependent" in the 1940s and defined it as someone who depends on another person to meet their emotional needs. Co-dependency is putting somebody else's needs before your own.

Thereby, being co-dependent is hardly the same thing as simply being dependent.  A co-dependent person may feel responsible for the happiness or well-being of others — especially if they have experienced abuse or neglect growing up. 

This term was widely used in the 1950s in the context of Alcoholics Anonymous, and Co-dependency behaviour is often found in alcoholic families.

Have you ever heard of a woman who found out that she had cancer, and instead of succumbing to her unfortunate situation, she spent most of her days watching comedy films? Months later, she was pleasantly surprised to learn that her tumours had gone.

There are many anecdotes about how positivity has turned things around for those who are dealing with health issues, even terminal ones like cancer. Today, many scientific studies are also showing evidence that emotional health can affect a person’s physical health and longevity.