Denial Patterns:

• Inability to know what "normal" is.
• Difficulty having fun.
• Difficulty in following a project through.
• Judging self, others without mercy.
• Low self esteem, often projected onto others. (eg: Why don't they get their act together!)
• Difficulty in developing or sustaining meaningful relationships.
• Belief that others cause or are responsible for the codependent's emotions.
• Overreacting to change. (or intense fear of / inability to deal with change.)
• Inability to see alternatives to situations, thus responding very impulsively.
• Constantly seeking approval and affirmation, yet having compromised sense of self.
• Feelings of being different.
• Confusion and sense of inadequacy.
• Lack of self confidence in making decisions, no sense of power in making choices.
• Feeling of fear, insecurity, inadequacy, guilt, hurt, and shame which are denied.
• Isolation and fear of people, resentment of authority figures.
• Fear of anger or bottling anger up till it explodes.
• Hypersensitivity to criticism.
• Being addicted to excitement / drama. (Chaos making.)
• Dependency upon others and fear of abandonment.
• Avoidance of relationships to guard against abandonment fears.
• Confusion between love and pity.
• Tendency to look for "victims" to help.
• Rigidity and need to control.
• Lies when it would be just as easy to tell the truth.