Dependent Personality Disorder, also known as DPD is characterized by feelings of submissiveness, helplessness, and an excessive need to be taken care of in order to be able to function.
Dependent Personality Disorder falls under Cluster C personality disorder groupings which are known for anxious or fearful thinking and behavior. DPD specifically is mostly known for how dependent they are on others in every aspect in their lives and consequently develop symptoms of anxiety if this constant need for others is not fully met.
Dependent personality disorder is more common and diagnosed in women than in men with an estimated prevalence rate of 1%. DPD is usually diagnosed according to the developmentally appropriate age; meaning that if these symptoms are affecting the person to the point that they can’t function properly and are not appropriate with their age, then we encourage you to seek help even if it appears early on in children.
People with DPD can live a healthy life if they receive treatment from a professional to help them understand and improve their dependency symptoms. Learning new techniques to cope with challenging situations can make a difference in their overall outlook. Yet, it can be a tricky road since these symptoms are long-term, pervasive, and embedded for a while; nonetheless, treatment is always helpful.
If you or someone you know suspect that you have symptoms similar of Dependent personality disorder, we encourage you to seek professional help early on. Lastly, we know that sometimes people tend to read symptoms associated with a certain disorder and claim that “I do that, I have this etc.”. When this happens, just remember that these symptoms have to be recurrent, persistent, and affect everyday job tasks greatly. They are rare and chronic, but help is always reachable and effective.
Most people with dependent personality disorder will not go out of their way to seek help unless there is another underlying condition affecting their lives and ability to cope. For instance, depression or anxiety can be developed due to the nature of living with DPD; when this is the case, psychotherapy or medications can be reasons to seek help to alleviate the symptoms.
Psychotherapy can teach people with dependent personality disorder how to become more independent, reliant, and active. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and assertive training are examples of forms of therapy that teaches skills to manage behaviors that interfere with functioning. This includes: how to become more independent, ways to form healthy relationships with others, and steps to develop self-confidence.
Medications can be used to treat other underlying conditions that people with dependent personalities might be experienced like anxiety and depression. Examples include: Antidepressants or mood stabilizers.