Is it just me or is codependency on the rise?

Perhaps you could argue I'm being judgemental.
Something about a conversation I had with my friend (whom I've just come back from visiting) really spurred something in me to jump online to share these thoughts with you.

He had told me earlier today via text message (thank you technology.) that he'd just been out to eat with a friend who I'm somewhat acquainted with (I feel like I can say that because we've made out before and hung out maybe a handful of times...so that must count lol). I asked him if he enjoyed himself and he said he was pretty "over it" after it had begun. He said it was the same old story on a different day. She has been in an unhappy relationship with a total douchebag for a few years and owns a house with him, she seeks out what her relationship is lacking in other men and I suppose in my case, women, sexually and emotionally. She's cheated on this boyfriend on and off with different men several times. Each situation with each guy was significant not just in that it was often sexual, but also because it wasn't a one night stand and over. And though she is openly unhappy with him she feels she can't leave because they have a house together. They're not able to afford the house they live in even together and she just doesn't know what would happen if she ended things and had to handle it alone and her ex would have nowhere to stay no car to drive etc. Now here's my reaction to this situation: That's insane. Just end it, it's over anyway just cut eachother loose and let the chips fall where they may. You aren't happy and if he knew you were cheating on him he wouldn't be happy with you either. You argue, you don't like each other so LEAVE. Frankly, no property you could ever own is worth keeping while you go crazy inside of it. She's unhappy with her life, okay...I'd be at the front of the line to say there's some shit in my life I really would have loved to had never experienced, but here's the good news YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE ALL BY YOURSELF!! Is this shocking to anyone? I mean it's certainly understandable that by leaving your boyfriend who you don't like you run the risk of being alone for a change but hey? his company wasn't good enough for you anyway. I'm becoming more and more alarmed when it comes to women and relationships because I am always hearing about how awful their relationship is and why they won't leave because they've "been through so much together" "he understands me". Okay well if that were true or enough then you wouldn't be so messed up about things between you. And just because you've been through alot together doesn't mean that's some sort of badge of honor necessarily, sometimes you "go through alot" because together it's drama all the time. I feel like we as women are built, genetically programmed to do the best we can with what we have instead of slapping on a skirt and heading out to hunt for bigger prey. I also believe that when you decide to stop settling for a cheating loser boyfriend or even just a relationship with someone you simply don't love, that EVERY women can cultivate her inner hunter. It can be a liberating experience in more ways than one.
This same girl who I was speaking about earlier had also been freaking out about having been accepted to a college (which you'd think would make someone happy?) she applied to to continue her current degree path. All because she's terrified of the unknown and horrible with change (a sentiment I'm extremely familiar with in my past).
I have yet another friend of mine who spends hours on the phone with her boyfriend when she's away from him as if she's in high school (she's not by the way), says they're the disgustingly cute couple, that things are so much better between them and so on.
Here's the history of this relationship: When they were together a couple of years ago she ended up in another relationship with someone else so they broke up. She then moved out of the state to be with a new boyfriend and then left him because she started talking to her ex again. She then moved back to where she'd come from and got back with her ex who was at the time then trying to break up with his current girlfriend. Then when she came back from visiting with me for my wedding her boyfriend broke up with her the DAY she returned. No she hadn't done anything while she was visiting for him to be upset about...he just said he needed time and had apparently been wanting to because of issues of theirs he'd never bothered to discuss with her.
Not even a month later they got back together, she's all lovey dovey with him and says all the mushy gushy crap but I feel like if you have to try and make it that obvious to everyone how awesome everything between you is, it isn't actually that awesome. Either you're trying to convince me or yourself in either case it's not really a great situation. Since she was gone to visit me this week he's begun asking her ring size and has mentioned marriage and I'm guessing he's planning on proposing in the near future. I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for it truthfully because I want her to be happy and if she is I'll just have to try and ignore the schematics of the situation. If you've broken up before though, it's never ever the same and I've to this day not ever actually met anyone who got back with their ex and was better for it or happier.
It's certainly possible that that exists however.
Years ago,
Yes... I was afraid that if I broke up with my boyfriend that no one would ever love me again like he did and he'd never want me back so I'd be in loveless limbo until I met my maker.
I was afraid of being alone, I was afraid of being with someone new worried I might not ever feel more for someone than I did for the guy I was with. Here's the reality: Life is going to continue, without that guy who you can't stand or be faithful to, and if you're too scared shitless to stand up for yourself no one else is going to find prince charming for you. Respect yourself enough to call it quits and then focus on you instead of someone else, don't be a victim of codependency. If you stay, you're not a victim of circumstance you're a victim of your own thinking and because of that you will continue to participate in an empty relationship.
And here's a good way to tell if you need to get out of your relationship: If you're wondering what life would be like without them or dream of them being different or your relationship magically improving. Time to get the fuck out. And that means stay out don't go back out of fear or the dellusion things are going to be different the second time. No little girl dreams of a guy sitting on the couch living off a government check who doesn't cook, clean, or show interest in his wife. So why do we allow ourselves to continue being miserable? Go out there and hunt!
-Divided Mind-