Having read Codependent No More both before and after its update, I’m truly impressed with how Melody Beattie keeps this classic work relevant by incorporating new insights and addressing the changing times. This book has been a lifeline for so many, including myself, offering a compassionate and insightful exploration of codependency—the often-overlooked tendency to lose oneself in the process of helping others.

Beattie’s wisdom shines through as she helps readers understand that they can’t change anyone but themselves and that true healing begins with self-care. Through powerful life stories, personal reflections, and practical exercises, she guides us toward breaking old patterns, setting healthy boundaries, and stepping away from toxic relationships.

The new edition includes a vital chapter on trauma and anxiety, making this version even more relevant today. These additions provide a deeper understanding of the challenges many face, offering a clear path to freedom, healing, and happiness.

I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone struggling to live their own life, whether they’re in a relationship or not. It’s particularly eye-opening for those who haven’t yet recognized that codependency might be at the root of their struggles.

Codependent No More is more than just a self-help book—it’s a liberating and soul-baring guide that I know I’ll return to time and time again. Even if you don’t identify as codependent, this book offers valuable insights that can help you understand and support those who do. It’s truly a masterpiece that deserves more than five stars.

I absolutely love this authors works. I find them so helpful and will be rereading this as I do all the others.

I recommend this book to everyone who is struggling to live their own life, whether they're partnered or not. It's especially helpful for those who can't recognize codependency is the source of much of their misery.

I loved Melody Beatties book many years ago and this one is even better. It is so helpful for people living with Codependency!

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Melody Beatties, and your Publisher, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this helpful book!

Codependent No More by Melody Beattie is the book we all need. I have never made it through a reading of this book without my heartbreaking. The behaviors I have assumed were typical, because there were in my family, were in reality, codependency. This book is basically a handbook for healthy human relationships. We would all be better if we read this and implemented what we learned!

If you have a person in your life with addiction struggles, this book is a necessary tool. It will help save you a ton of time and pain!


The publisher made a copy of this book available for review. This is my honest opinion.

Absolutely hands down one of the best books out there for both understanding and combatting codependency. I love it so much that I bought a hard copy once it was published. I have highlighted and tabbed mine and refer to it frequently. If this is an issue you’ve struggled with, there is no better book for your journey to healing.

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. It is the most helpful, liberating, soul baring self-help book I’ve ever read. I believe I will find myself re-reading this book over and over for the rest of my life.

Even if you’re not a co-dependent person, you know someone who is; even if you don’t know you know one. I believe this book can help non-codependent people understand those of us who are in ways we will never be able to explain ourselves. And there’s something beautiful to be said for that.

Codependent No More is relevant for most anyone, as we all probably have a touch of codependency. However, this book is really geared towards those with someone in their lives dealing with substance abuse. Thus, the examples are not relevant to everyone. I think this book is a great starting point for a lot of people and opens the idea of how healing from codependency is possible and improves your life. The book is filled with advice and activities to complete - like journal prompts. But to me a lot of this action will be difficult to complete without professional help or more guidance. Overall, a good read for everyone and a good starting point.

If you think you’re not at all codependent, you probably are, to some degree, or have been, at some point in your life. Even if you’ve never heard the word “codependent “ before, you need this book.

Melody Beattie originally wrote Codependent No More in 1986. This is an updated and revised version, expanding upon original ideas with more research and insight.

Using personal stories and examples, Beattie explains what codependency is, why people become codependent, and what to do if you find yourself being codependent in your relationships.

This is a must read for anyone who has a loved one with any type of addiction. There is hope, there is healing, but first comes awareness.

Thanks to NetGalley, Melody Beattie, and Spiegel & Grau for the opportunity to review this important work.

I've always had a hunch that I am codependent. This book not only gently guided me through qualifications, but provided suggestions and remedies for relinquishing the codependency. I loved The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie as well, so I trusted that this would be a worthwhile read. I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend to anyone that may believe he or she is codependent, or anyone who may be curious about codependency.

I don't generally read self-help books because I find them a little too repetitive, but I was interested in this one for the re-released version containing a chapter on anxiety. I'm really glad I read it!
I had never heard the term codependent before without thinking it was basically just another way to say clingy. Then I started reading this and I was like "shit am I codependent?" So, I asked my therapist and they said they prefer to use this as a lens for viewing yourself rather than just an outright diagnosis since the term "codependent" has some racial/cultural biases (in that some "characteristics" of codependency can be very important ((and taught)) cultural characteristics for others). Makes sense.
With that in mind I kept reading and I realized they were right: it's a very good lens for working through issues/on yourself but I didn't let myself get too consumed by the term itself but rather the message along with it on how to change your behavior.
This is a really good read if you're in or were in a relationship with someone with a compulsive disorder, though there are TONS of other scenarios it relates to as well. There's a lot of solid advice...and quite a bit of repetitive bits. Even with that, it's worth your time. There are activities at the end of each section, and I really liked most of them. They make you think critically about yourself which was helpful. The anxiety "chapter" was more of a brief glance, so it wasn't quite what I came for but still a good little section of information.
I would like to note that this does have a pretty large religious focus and a lot of references to AA and AlAnon. Personally, I don't like religion in my reads because it's so preachy and bossy sounding. Melody does do a good job of not making it seem like she's shoving it down your throat though, so it didn't bother me as much as other books have. She is also upfront that this is about her experiences with religion/AA/AlAnon/drugs, and she is also not a doctor, so this is more of a memoir/lengthy advice column. I guess just keep that in mind?
Overall, I'm glad I read this. I got a lot of useful info/advice out of it and anything I didn't love/didn't apply to me is already forgotten.

While there is plenty of information for others, this book tends to focus on alcoholics or adults and their families. I found it distracting.

Thank you to #partner Spiegel & Grau for our copy of Codependent No More by Melody Beattie.

Although this book has been available for awhile, the revised copy publishes on October 25th, 2022.

Rating: 5 star
Genre: Non-fiction

Thoughts: If both Glennon Doyle and Jen Hatmaker recommend a book, you know you need to read it immediately! I feel like I have heard so much buzz around this book.

If you enjoy nonfiction books around psychology, mental health, or self-help, then this is a must read! I also think this would be an awesome book to listen to on audio too!

This updated version of Ms. Beattie's classic book reminds me why the title continues to thrive. Her anecdotes are engaging and personable. Her recommendations are mostly concrete, although they occasionally stray to an ideal rather than specific ways to disengage from codependency. There are a few times she lists so many different types of codependence that it's hard to believe that there's no one who doesn't deal with this to some level, which gives a vague impression that it may not be possible to stop the patterns completely.
Nonetheless, Codependent No More is a classic self-help book for a reason.

Beattie's writing is lucid and helpful, and the updates to the edition are thoughtful and relevant to the changing context of the topic. A classic, evergreen guide for relationships.

I'm glad I got this book and I think it'll really help me understand some people in my family a bit better. I didn't necessarily agree with everything stated, but much of it had a ring of truth to it.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There were a lot of helpful parts of this book. I wish the book had a bit more examples of how to apply this information to relationships. But, overall, the book was pretty good.

This book provides a thorough overview of the factors that contribute to forming a codependent relationship, as well as ways to break the bonds of codependency. The author focuses heavily on those in relationship with addicts, in particular, alcoholics. I found myself hoping she would dive more into codependent relationships with individuals suffering from other mental illnesses.

Just when you think "Codependent No More" can get better! This updated and revised book of Melody Beattie's classic is superb!

I love Melody Beattie. This is a fantastic and useful tool. I actually have an earlier edition and use it with my clients. Great workbook! Great insight and tools for individuals who have been or are codependent. Highly highly recommend!