Dependent Personality Disorder - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Dependent personality disorder (DPD), formerly known as asthenic personality disorder. Dependent personality disorder is a chronic condition involving over-reliance on others to meet emotional and physical needs. DPD also is marked by helplessness, submissiveness, a need to be taken care of and for constant reassurance, and an inability to make decisions. DPD is one of the most frequently diagnosed personality disorders. It appears to occur equally in men and women, and usually appears in early to middle adulthood. Adults with this disorder typically depend on a parent or spouse to decide where they should live, what kind of job they should have and which neighbors to befriend. Adolescents with this disorder may allow their parent(s) to decide what they should wear, with whom they should associate, how they should spend their free time and what school or college they should attend Dependent personality disorder usually begins in childhood. However, the cause of this disorder is unknown. It is one of the most common personality disorders, and is equally divided between men and women. People with avoidant personality disorder often consider themselves to be socially inept or personally unappealing, and avoid social interaction for fear of being ridiculed, humiliated, or disliked. They typically present themselves as loners and report feeling a sense of alienation from society.

Many cases of dependent also have roots to Obsessive-compulsive disorder , and instead of being afraid if they are alone when not in a relationship, tend to think everything is wrong. It most likely involves both biological and developmental factors. It is one of the most common personality disorders, and is equally divided between men and women. People with this disorder do not trust their own ability to make decisions and feel that others have better ideas. They may be devastated by separation and loss, and they may go to great lengths, even suffering abuse, to stay in a relationship.Other symptoms include is Inability to make decisions ,Passivity ,Avoiding personal responsibility ,Avoiding being alone ,Devastation or helplessness when relationships end ,Unable to meet ordinary demands of life ,Preoccupied with fears of being abandoned and easily hurt by criticism or disapproval. As is the case with many personality disorders, people with DPD generally do not seek treatment for the disorder itself. Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) is the main method of treatment for DPD. The goal of therapy is to help the person with DPD become more active and independent, and to learn to form healthy relationships.The use of medication might be used to treat people with DPD who also suffer from depression or anxiety. However, medication therapy must be carefully monitored because the person might become dependent on or abuse the drugs.

Causes of Dependent Personality Disorder

Common Causes and Risk factors of Dependent Personality Disorder

• Biological factors.
• Developmental factors.
• Authoritarian.
• Overprotective parenting style.

Signs and Symptoms of Dependent Personality Disorder

Sign and Symptoms of Dependent Personality Disorder

• Difficulty making everyday decisions.
• Assume responsibility.
• Difficulty expressing disagreement with others.
• Difficulty initiating projects.
• Excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others.
• Uncomfortable or helpless.
• Urgently seeks another relationship.
• Unrealistically preoccupied.

Treatment of Dependent Personality Disorder

Common Treatment of Dependent Personality Disorder

• The DSM-IV-TR , a widely used manual for diagnosing mental disorders , defines dependent personality disorder as a "pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to submissive.
• A mnemonic that can be used to remember the criteria for dependent personality disorder is DEPENDENT.
• Group psychotherapy can be successful for the treatment of dependent personality disorder. Montgomery used group therapy for dependent patients who used medications for chronic complaints such as insomnia and nervousness.
• Medication may be helpful to treat any other underlying conditions. Certain types of drugs such as antidepressants, sedatives and tranquilizers are often prescribed for patients with dependent personality disorder to treat co-occurring conditions.
• Psychotherapy is the preferred form of treatment for people with dependent personality disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive, the beliefs that underlie such thinking and resolving symptoms or traits that are characteristic
• Residential and day treatment may provide support necessary to allow definitive psychotherapy to continue, when dependent personality disorder is complicated by recurrent depression, severe anxiety disorders, repetitive suicide attempts, other more severe personality disorders (such as borderline personality) or overwhelming life stress.