Dependent Personality Disorder

1. Dependent Personality Disorder Vanessa Vera Period 3 April 18,2012

2. Definition“what is the disorder? What does it mean ?” • A personality disorder whose main characteristic is that the individual is extremely passive and tends to cling to other people to the point of being unable to make any decisions or to take independent action. • Condition in which people depend too much on others to meet their emotional of their actions. • Long term ,harmful, fear of separation.

3. Associated Features • People with Dependent personality disorder become emotionally dependent on other people. • They also spend great effort trying to please others without knowing they need help on their own self. • One of their biggest fears is being alone.

4. Characteristics • Fear of separation • Making their own decisions on everyday life • Avoid personal responsibility • Avoid jobs that are done alone • Tend to move to a new relationship when one ends • Get offended so easily • Lack of self confidence • Unable to care for themselves • Avoid agreeing with others • Willing to get mistreated and abuse from others • Their always on their own world

5. Etiology “what are the potential causes of the disorder?’ • The exact cause of dependent personality disorder is unknown. • Most likely involves the emotional and mental factors. • Some researchers say that over protecting parent style tends to led to the development of dependent personality disorder.

6. Prevalence“how common is the disorder?” • Dependent personality disorder is one of the most common disorder. • This disorder is seen equally between men and women. • Most of the time this disorder begins during their early to adulthood .

7. Complications • People with dependent personality disorders are at a risk for depression, anxiety disorders, and drug addiction. • Risk of being abuse because their willing to do anything to maintain their relationships with their partner.

8. Treatment • Talk therapy (psychotherapy) is considered to be the main effective treatment. • The goal of the therapy is to be more active, independent and form a healthy relationship. • It’s the most effective treatment because you make more independent choices in life. • Short term is better than long term because if it’s a long term they tend to rely on their therapist. • To gain self –confidence • Medication can help out people who also suffer of anxiety or depression. • Medication therapy must be carefully monitored because the person might become abuse of drugs.

9. Prognosis • People that are diagnosed with dependent personality disorder are at an increased risk of mood and anxiety disorders. • People that develop dependent personality disorder tend to live with it for their rest of their life's with the help of therapy.

10. References • (1995).The clevelandclinic.Retrievedfrom http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/personality disorders/hic_dependent_personality_disorder.aspx • (2007).Out of the frog.Retrievedfrom http://outofthefog.net/ • Halgin,R.P & Whitbourne, S.k.(2005).Abnormal psychology :clinical perspectives on psychological disorders.NewYork,NY:mcgrow -hill

11. Discussion Question • What would you do if someone with this disorder relied on you but you didn’t know untill a couple of years later? • What reaction would you have if someone close to you had this disorder?