Dear Daughters,

Here is another article on  a personalty type you may not be aware of:

Dependent personality disorder is a condition in which people depend too much on others to meet their emotional and physical needs.

• Cause
• Signs and Symptoms
• Frequency of Occurrence
• Diagnosis 
• Treatment
• Resources

Cause

Dependent personality disorder usually begins in childhood. The causes of this disorder are unknown.

Signs and Symptoms

People with this disorder do not trust their own ability to make decisions. They may be upset by separation and loss. They may go to great lengths, even suffering abuse, to remain in a relationship.

Symptoms of dependent personality disorder may include:

• Avoiding being alone
• Avoiding personal responsibility
• Being easily hurt by criticism or disapproval
• Being overly focused on fears of being abandoned
• Being passive in relationships
• Feeling upset or helpless when relationships end
• Having difficulty making decisions without support from others
• Having problems expressing disagreements with others

Frequency of Occurrence

It is one of the most common personality disorders and is equally common in men and women.

About 2.5 percent of the population has the disorder.

Diagnosis 

Like other personality disorders, dependent personality disorder is diagnosed based on a psychological evaluation and the history and severity of the symptoms.

Treatment

Talk therapy (psychotherapy) is considered to be the most effective treatment in helping people with this condition make more independent choices in life.

Medication may help treat other conditions, such as anxiety or depression.

I hope this was helpful!

As Always,

Love Mom

Resources

• American Psychological Association: www.apa.org
• Mental Health America: nmha.org
• National Alliance on Mental Health: nami.org
• Some content on this page was gathered from the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM).

The NLM is part of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services: www.nlm.nih.gov