Manage dependent personality disorder

Ms. Samiksha Jain

Advanced Skills in Counselling, BSIC, Advanced Trainee of Transactional Analysis, DCS, Hypnotherapist · Psychologist · 

Tips to Manage Dependent Personality Disorder

Every human being relies on other people for their emotional and physical needs. We are all dependent on someone. But some people may be dependent on others at such an extreme level that it could affect their social, personal and occupational functioning. It could be a part of their personality, which includes enduring patterns of how we think, relate to, perceive and behave. Such a condition is called Dependent Personality Disorder, which causes subjective distress and leads to functional impairment.

Dependent Personality Disorder or DPD is characterized by the strong, inflexible need for being taken care of.

Symptoms include inability to make decisions, even everyday decisions without advice from others, acting passive and helpless, avoidance of adult responsibilities and oversensitivity to criticism. Patient may exhibit dependence on a spouse or partner to make decisions, have intense fear of abandonment, exhibit lack of self-confidence and pessimism, have difficulty being alone or inability to start new projects. Apart from this, such an individual may exhibit willingness to tolerate abuse and place the needs of caregivers over their own.
If you or someone you know exhibit symptoms of Dependent Personality Disorder, here’s how to manage it.

1. Trace the Causes: Understanding the causes is essential for handling DPD from the root. Biological and developmental factors may be involved, including overprotective parenting and personality traits. Former abuse may also be responsible.

2. Get the Diagnosis: Before attempting any management or treatment of the condition, it is essential that you get the condition diagnosed. Not all dependent behavior can be recognized as DPD and not every kind of clinging behavior is a psychiatric condition. At the same time, this disorder is closely related to Borderline Personality Disorder, which has common symptoms. Do consult a psychologist or a healthcare professional for diagnosis.

3. Get Therapy: Do not try to manage the condition on your own. Focus on getting psychotherapy, which can help in management of symptoms through counselling.

4. Medication: Medication may be used in rare cases where the individual exhibits symptoms of depression and anxiety as well.

5. Use of CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy should be involved in the therapeutic routine to help people with DPD become independent and active and form healthy relationships. Psychodynamic therapy may be included to help coping styles.
Remember that Prognosis is good for people with DPD and with help from a psychologist, the condition can be completely managed.