Becoming enmeshed...

[Gail]

Tom's comments inspired me to try a thread here in his "no quote" forum.

Is there a line beyond where we should not step before we involve ourselves in something that is not any of our business to be?

It's like an emotional involvement in something that is not our situation. I'm not talking about what's going on with your kids or your aged parents or at work. In those cases it's like a circle of influence that is touching you.

It's more than crying at a sad film. It's taking on of a part of someone's life that they really need to go through themselves.

I've seen that happen and have wondered if that fuels the gossip fire in a way that it shouldn't.

[Gail]

It probably is some type of dependency, but I'd like to know how that works.

[teresaq]

Depends. Is it becoming involved momentarily because one sees a wrong? Or is it becoming "enmeshed" in another one's life over a long period of time with the intention of "fixing" it?

[monty]

Yes it is called codependency. It can be defiined as an addiction to people, behaviors, or things. It is the fallacy of trying to control interior feelings by controlling people, things, and events on the exterior. To the one who is codependent, control or the lack of it is central to every area of life. This is very much alive and well in the SDA church. it can be observed at all levels. There can be a distinct lack of healthy boundaries. If one maintains appropiate boundries he is often labeled selfish, unchristian, unloving ect.