Codependency Confessions: When “Helping” Turns into Losing Yourself

In this Leaving CrazyTown x Eternally Amy crossover, Dr. Sarah Michaud joins Amy Liz Harrison for a Boozeless Book Club deep dive into Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love” aftermath and the complex layers of love addiction, codependency, and emotional recovery.Together, they unpack how relationships can become the new addiction — and how self-awareness, radical honesty, and recovery tools can pull us back from the brink. It’s a raw, funny, and deeply human conversation about obsession, boundaries, and learning to let go with love.

Key Takeways

1. Codependency isn’t care — it’s control in disguise. We rationalize, rescue, and lose ourselves believing we’re helping.

2. Love addiction mimics substance addiction. That chemical “high” of early romance can hijack logic and keep us stuck in fantasy.

3. Denial runs deep. Whether it’s alcohol, love, or someone else’s chaos — our minds will justify anything to avoid loss.

4. Recovery is responsibility. Owning “my part” doesn’t mean taking all the blame — it means claiming my healing.

5. Letting go isn’t abandonment. It’s choosing freedom over fantasy, truth over chaos, and peace over control.

Key Timestamps

• [00:02:10] The reality of codependency: it’s not just about addicts

• [00:06:45] Love addiction and that early “high”

• [00:12:00] Denial, rationalization, and the bitters metaphor

• [00:22:30] The trap of self-abandonment in relationships

• [00:33:00] Boundaries, separation, and self-responsibility

• [00:46:00] Recovery tools from the Big Book that still hold true

• [00:52:00] Owning your part, making the call, and telling the truth

  Amyiz Harrison “Eat, Pray, Love” and related works

• Women, Sex, and Addiction by Charlotte Kasl

• Co Crazy by Dr. Sarah Michaud

• Al-Anon & SLAA resources

• Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (contrast discussed)

Resources & Mentions

• Amy Liz Harrison “Eat, Pray, Love” and related works

• Women, Sex, and Addiction by Charlotte Kasl

• Co Crazy by Dr. Sarah Michaud

• Al-Anon & SLAA resources

• Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (contrast discussed)

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who’s learning to love without losing themselves. 🧠 Subscribe, rate, and review Codependency Recovery: Leaving CrazyTown wherever you listen — and join the conversation on YouTube @leavingcrazytown.

Leaving CrazyTown is a raw, real-talk podcast hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, two recovering addicts turned relatable guides on the wild ride of codependency healing. Each episode dives deep into the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and emotional recovery—with humor, honesty, and hope. If you loved this conversation, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown—and share it with a friend ready to reclaim their voice and leave confusion behind. 🔗 Website: drsarahmichaud.com | YouTube: @leavingcrazytown