Reddit mentions of Escape from Intimacy: Untangling the ``Love'' Addictions: Sex, Romance, Relationships

Don't have a "story" (like this) to tell, but do know The Way Out (after 26 years in CoDA):

1. CoDA's Patterns & Characteristics;
   
   
2. The Five Stages of Recovery to see were one is in them;
   
   
3. Sternberg's nine types of love;
   
   
4. This article on an existential out-of-the-box view of romantic love;
   
   
5. CoDA meetings;
   
   
6. This article further quoting a young Krishnamurti on being alone vs. being lonely;
   
   
7. The 10 StEPs of Emotion Processing so that one is able to continue to see what is going on and know what to do about it;
   
   
8. Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" CD or MP3, listening carefully while reading the lyrics;
   
   
9. Pia Mellody's Facing Love Addiction, especially with respect to the flip flop from addiction to avoidance;
   
   
10. Anne Wilson Schaef's Escape from Intimacy on the same topic;
    
    
11. Barry & Jane Weinhold's Flight from Intimacy on the same topic;
    
    
12. DBT's "FAST" boundary-setting skills group.
    
    To which I will add this article because most of the codependents I have know who went through situations similar to what you have described came from families that operate like small cults.