Codependents and enablers: a judge, and Jo-Ann Geffen trying to protect David Cassidy to his death.
Co-dependent of the month:
Judge DeAnn M. Salcido, who agreed to resign from the San Diego County Superior Court after being censured for a pattern of intemperate behavior toward lawyers and defendants, which included mocking and making rude and off-color comments from the bench. She admitted to making “inappropriate remarks of a lewd nature…[while] proceedings were being filmed” as part of a pitch to a Hollywood producer for her to star in a reality television show. A pattern of such inappropriate conduct and attempts at self-aggrandizement are indicative of alcoholism. However, it’s also possible her long-time codependency to her husband, Edward Salcido, could explain her behaviors. Recall that codependents can, on occasion, appear crazier than addicts as they get lured into their games. In seeking a restraining order after Salcido grabbed her “roughly,” DeAnn said her husband had “abused” alcohol and prescription pain pills in the years since a serious accident and that “his behavior had become increasingly erratic and irrational.” Memo to DeAnn: since, as most recovering alcoholics tell us, they usually trigger alcoholism during the first drinking episode as early teens, late-onset alcoholism is exceedingly rare. You were most likely living with alcoholism for as long as you were with Edward. The great alcoholism authority George E. Vaillant explained the effect this can have on codependents: “Outside of residence in a concentration camp, there are very few sustained human experiences that make one the recipient of as much sadism as does being a close family member of an alcoholic.” While Edward’s alcoholism and your codependency may explain your behaviors, please take a look at yourself as well.
Enabler of the month:
Jo-Ann Geffen, David Cassidy’s rep, who was adamant that Cassidy was not hammered even though he obviously was. Note to Ms. Geffen: all you can do by such grotesque enabling is hasten Mr. Cassidy’s death sentence, not to mention put the lives of other innocents at great risk.