**Dependent Personality Disorder
A pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to submissve and clinging behavior and fears of separation, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by 5 or more of the following:
1. Difficulty making everyday decisions w/o an excessive amount of advice and reassurance from others 2. Needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of his or her life 3. Difficulty expressing disagreement w others because of fear of loss of support or approval 4. Difficulty initiating projects or doing things on his/her own (because of lack of self- confidence in judgement) 5. Goes to excessive lengths to obtain nuturance and support from others, to the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant 6. Feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone because of exaggerated fears of being unable to care for him/herself. 7. Urgently seeks another relationship as a source of care and support when a close relationship ends. 8. Is unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of him/herself
Parents who make new experiences unnecessarily easy for the child and refuse to allow him/her to learn by experience encouraging their child to give up efforts of achieving autonomy.
Dependent behaviors may be subtly rewarded in this environment, and the child may come to fear a loss of love or attachment from the parental figure if independent behaviors are attempted.
Psychosocially, dependency is fostered in infancy when stimulation and nurturance are experienced exclusively from one source. The infant becomes attached to one source to the exclusion of all others.
If this exclusive attachment continues as the child grows, the dependency is nurtured. A problem may arise when parents become overprotective and discourage independent behaviors on the part of the child.
They may appear to others to "see the world through rose-colored glasses," but when alone, they may fell pessimistic, discouraged, and dejected.
Others are not made aware of these feelings; their "suffering" is done in silence.
Individuals with dependent personality disorder assume the passive and submissive role in relationships.
They are willing to let others make their important decisions.
Should the dependent relationship come to an end, they feel fearful and vulnerable because they lack confidence in their ability to care for themselves.
They may hastily and indiscriminately attempt to establish another relationship with someone they believe can provide them with the nurturance and guidance they need.
Dependent personality disorder is characterized by lack of self-confidence and extreme reliance on others to take responsibility for them, sometimes to the point of intense discomfort with being alone for even a brief period.
This mode of behavior is evident in the tendency to allow others to make decisions, to feel helpless when alone, to act submissively, to subordinate needs to others, to tolerate mistreatment by others, to demean oneself to gain acceptance, and to fail to function adequately in situations that require assertive or dominant behavior.
An infant may be genetically predisposed to a dependent temperament.
Twin studies measuring submissiveness have shown a higher correlation between identical twins than fraternal twins.
They are overly
generous and thoughtful and underplay their own attractiveness and achievements.
Individuals with dependent personality disorder have a notable
lack of self-confidence that is often apparent in their posture, voice, and mannerisms.
They have feelings of
low self-worth and are easily hurt by criticism and disapproval.
They are typically
passive and acquiescent to the desires of others.
They avoid
positions of responsibility and become anxious when forced into them.
They will do almost anything, even if it is unpleasant or demeaning,
to earn the acceptance of others.
