5 ways to be less codependent in your relationship

• Codependency is an "excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner," according to clinical psychologist Dr. Jennifer Rhodes.
• Sometimes it can be difficult to detect codependent behaviors in a relationship.   
• If you suspect that you're codependent or in a codependent relationship, you might want to make some changes in order to foster a healthier relationship. 
• To foster a sense of independence in a relationship, experts suggest setting healthy boundaries and taking time to do things that are just for you. 

The signs of codependency can sometimes be difficult to parse because some are pretty subtle. It can also be present in more than just a romantic relationship — codependency can exist in any relationship, whether it's one with your partner, a parent, or a friend. 

"Codependency is excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner,"Dr. Jennifer Rhodes,a clinical psychologist, previously told INSIDER. Although this behavior can oftentimes feel nice and be difficult to detect, it's something that should be addressed because, as Rhodes also mentioned, the key to a healthy relationship is independence. 

All in all, codependency can be unhealthy for and potentially damaging to both parties involved. If you're finding that a relationship in your life has become codependent, here are some things you can do to help you to regain your independence.

Acknowledge your patterns of behavior.

The first step to being less codependent is to recognize what's going on, as Heidi McBain, MA, LMFT, LPC, RPT, a licensed marriage and family therapist, told INSIDER.

"It's very hard to make big changes in your life without first having insight that the behaviors exist," McBain explained. 

Set more boundaries.

One of the best things that you can do to become less codependent is to set more boundaries. 

"Set boundaries that reflect your honest feelings and realistic capacity to help,"Weena Cullins, LCMFT, a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist, told INSIDER. "This will help prevent resentment from developing as well as burnout."

Do things that are only for you and encourage your partner to do things that are just for them.

If everything you're doing is for your partner, your own wants, needs, and goals can suffer, which really inhibits your ability to be independent. Ensuring that you are doing things for yourself and your partner is doing things just for themselves will help you both take more ownership of your time.

"Have separate nights out with friends, eat different things for dinner, get into a hobby that your partner isn't into," therapist Erin Parisi, LMHC, MCAP, suggested.