Dependent Personality Disorder

There are all kinds of personality disorders that cause people to be unable to function normally with other people. Most people will have some elements of various personality disorders, but should only be considered as having a disorder when the problems interfere with daily life and functioning as well as overall world views. A person with is really, actually and totally dependent on others. It is natural for people to need each other in some ways. Humans are social beings and rely on interaction for the ability to thrive. It is only when the dependence becomes severe that a disorder is present.

Overall Description
The person with is absolutely reliant on other people. Men and women both can suffer from this disorder. Women tend to be submissive to others and men tend to be demanding of others. The end is the same. Dependent people convince others to take care of them. They do not like to be alone at any time of the day. They do not like to make decisions for themselves. Important decisions and unimportant decisions alike are only made with the direct counsel of another person. The patient needs help in knowing what to wear and how to invest money. He or she will defer decisions about what to eat and where to work.

The person with has thoughts and opinions of her own, but she is so unsure of herself that she is unable to assert those thoughts and opinions. Even if she disagrees with someone’s decision for her, she will follow it anyway. That is the dangerous part of . Since the person is unable to make decisions for herself or even be by herself, she will cling to anyone that might be available and willing to be the dominant person in the relationship. Patients dealing with often put themselves at risk for being taken advantage of because they defer so much to others, trustworthy or not.

Symptoms
Symptoms of are probably easy to predict. The person is unable to make decisions without reassurance. She does not take responsibility for her own life, but relies on others to take care of things. She does not openly disagree with those who do take the responsibility for caring for and reassuring her. The person with is not self motivated. She needs quite a lot of help in getting new projects or ideas started. She also does things that she does not enjoy because others think that she should. The person feels unable to care for herself in any way and is quick to latch on to available people. The person is also consistently worried about how she will be taken care of in the future.

puts the patient at risk. The individual must at the very least begin to exercise care in choosing who to cling to. Be discerning in choosing relationships that will be mutually beneficial. Another step that the individual can take towards healing is to start making small decisions. Start with one decision or independent outing at a time and gradually increase marks of independent living.

Frances, Allen MD and First, Michael B. MD. Your Mental Health: A Layman’s Guide to
the Psychiatrist’s Bible. New York: Scribner, 1998.

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