DEPENDENT PERSONALITY DISORDER: SYMPTOMS - GEOGRAFÍA - 2025

The dependent personality disorder, also called a dependent personality is characterized by a long - term need to be cared for and a fear of being abandoned or separated from important people.

This pattern is seen in one or more of these areas: cognition, affect, and interpersonal relationships. You are inflexible and consistent through a wide variety of personal and social situations.

This desire to maintain supportive personal relationships can lead to submission, indecision, shyness, or passivity. Furthermore, people with this disorder have feelings of inadequacy and are very sensitive to criticism.

They are often pessimistic and have low self-esteem, tend to underestimate their abilities and resources, and do not feel good about themselves. They can avoid positions of responsibility and become anxious when faced with decisions.

As for the personal relationships of these people, they are usually limited to the people on whom they are dependent.

Main symptoms

Dependent personality disorder includes most of the following symptoms:

-Difficulty making decisions without advice and support from others

-Need others to take responsibility in most areas of life

-Difficulty expressing disagreement with other people for fear of loss of approval

-Difficulty in starting projects or doing things by himself

-Going too far to get the support of others, to the point of doing things that are unpleasant

-Feeling uncomfortable in solitude due to exaggerated fear of being unable to take care of oneself

-Hypersensitivity to criticism

-Pessimism and lack of self-esteem

-Belief that they cannot take care of themselves

-Put the needs of others above your own.

epidemiology

Dependent personality disorder occurs in approximately 0.6% of the population and is more common in women.

A 2004 study suggests it has a herability of.81. Because of this, there is enough evidence to say that it often occurs within the same family.

Children and adolescents with a history of anxiety disorders and physical illnesses are more susceptible to acquiring this disorder.

Causes

A 2012 study found that 2/3 of this disorder is derived from genetics while the remainder is due to the environment.

Although the exact causes are not known, the best explanation is probably that of a biopsychosocial model: it is caused by biological, genetic, social and psychological factors.

On the other hand, some researchers believe that authoritarian and overprotective educational styles can guide the development of this personality disorder.

Diagnosis

Because personality disorders describe long-term, long-lasting behavior trends, they are most often diagnosed in adulthood.

It is advised that it be diagnosed by a mental health professional -psychologist or psychiatrist-. Most people with this disorder do not seek support or treatment until it begins to have a serious impact on their lives.

Diagnostic criteria for dependent personality disorder - DSM-IV

A general and excessive need to be cared for, leading to submission and adhesion behavior and fear of separation, which begins in early adulthood and occurs in various contexts, as indicated by one or more of the following items:

• Difficulty making everyday decisions if you do not have advice or reassurance from others.
• You need others to take responsibility in the main areas of your life.
• Difficulty expressing disagreement with others due to fear of loss of approval.
• Difficulties starting projects or doing things your way, due to lack of self-confidence.
• He goes too far out of his desire for protection and support, to the point of volunteering to do unpleasant tasks.
• You feel uncomfortable or helpless when you are alone due to your fears of being unable to care for yourself.
• When an important relationship ends, you urgently seek another relationship that will provide you with the support and care you need.
• You are unrealistically concerned for fear of being abandoned and having to take care of yourself.

ICD 10

According to the ICD-10, dependent personality disorder is characterized by at least 3 of the following:

• Encourage or ask others to make some of the most important decisions in life.
• Subordination of your own needs to those of other people on whom you are dependent.
• Unwillingness to make reasonable demands of people on whom you are dependent.
• Feelings of discomfort or helplessness when you are alone out of fear of being unable to take care of yourself.
• Preoccupation with fear of being abandoned by the person with whom you have a close relationship.
• Limited ability to make daily life decisions without advice or reassurance from others.

Subtypes

The psychologist Theodore Millon identified 5 subtypes of dependent personality disorder.

- Restless - with avoidance characteristics: feels fear and apprehension; vulnerability to abandonment; lonely except for close supporting figures.

- Selfless - with masochistic characteristics: fusion with the other person, renouncing one's own identity.

- Immature - variant of the pure pattern: inexperienced, credulous, unable to take responsibility, childish.

- Complacent - with histrionic characteristics: docile, complacent, pleasant, submissive role, anxious.

- Ineffective - with schizoid characteristics: unproductive, seeks life without problems, incompetence, refusal to deal with difficulties.

When is it necessary to seek help?

Early adulthood is when most cases are diagnosed, although the best way to treat it is to seek help as soon as possible.

Getting help early can prevent the development of complications from this disorder (see below).

If you observe any symptoms and are not sure, it is advisable to go to a professional.

Treatment

People with this disorder do not usually seek help to solve the problem itself, but to solve other problems, usually depression, anxiety or relationship.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the main treatment and its goal is to help the person learn to be independent and to have healthy personal relationships. Likewise, the way of thinking and various behaviors that help to maintain the disorder will be changed.

Specific learnings can include assertiveness, training the person to communicate, recognizing their rights.

Medication

It can be used if the person also suffers from anxiety or depression.

However, it must be closely watched because the person can become addicted to the drugs.

Group therapy

It can be effective with people who tend to isolate themselves and who have difficulty making decisions.

The group can be more effective in dealing with insecurities by encouraging people to talk about their problems in similar situations.

Family or couples therapy

Family therapy encourages family members to empathize with each other and build strengths that positively affect their lives.

Couples therapy can reduce anxiety in the dependent member and will have as its main goal to build a healthy relationship.

Can it be prevented?

Personality development is a complex process that begins at an early age.

With proper treatment, personality can be modified if it starts early, when the person is motivated to change.

Complications

Dependent people are at risk of developing:

• Depression
• Addiction to alcohol and other drugs
• Sexual abuse or psychological abuse
• Phobias
• Anxiety.

Films

The movie Single White Woman Seeks… shows a woman with dependent personality disorder traits.

References

1. Gjerde, LC; Czajkowski, N.; Røysamb, E.; Ørstavik, RE; Knudsen, GP; Østby, K.; Torgersen, S.; Myers, J.; Kendler, KS; Reichborn-Kjennerud, T. (2012). "The heritability of avoidant and dependent personality disorder assessed by personal interview and questionnaire". Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 126 (6): 448–57. doi: 10.1111 / j.1600-0447.2012.01862.x. PMC 3493848. PMID 22486635. Lay summary - Norwegian Institute of Public Health (September 24, 2012).
2. Millon, Theodore; Millon, Carrie M.; Meagher, Sarah; Grossman, Seth; Ramnath, Rowena (2004). Personality Disorders in Modern Life. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-66850-3.
3. Beck, Aaron T; Freeman, Arthur (1990). Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders. New York: Guilford Press. ISBN 978-0-89862-434-2.
4. Ekleberry, Sharon (2014). "Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD)". Treating Co-Occurring Disorders. p. 63–4. ISBN 978-1-317-82549-4.