Dependent Personality Disorder

Personality disorders are mental health disorders that are defined by established and enduring patterns of behaviour and thinking that interfere with your ability to function and maintain healthy relationships, and in general, impact your life negatively.

There are 10 personality disorders that are divided into 3 clusters:

• Cluster A: Odd or abnormal behaviour
• Cluster B: Dramatic or emotional behaviour
• Cluster C: Anxious or fearful behaviour

Dependent personality disorder is categorized under Cluster C (anxious or fearful behaviour) and is characterized by the extreme need to rely on other people for everything, from making important decisions to going out in public. Those with this personality disorder cling to others – either psychologically and/or physically – in an unhealthy manner to avoid being alone or having to be independent.

Symptoms & signs of dependent personality disorder include:

• Fear of being abandoned or alone
• Making unreasonable demands of loved ones
• Allowing others to make important decisions for them
• Viewing yourself as helpless and/or incompetent
• Hypersensitivity to criticism
• Low self esteem

When is it time to get help?

Personality disorders left untreated can negatively impact your life and even lead to other metal health issues such as depression or substance abuse. The stress and anxiety that comes from feeling incapable all the time can be overwhelming. Sometimes people with dependent personality disorder will go so far as to tolerate abuse or abusive relationships so that they are not left alone or uncared for. If the symptoms of dependent personality disorder are interfering with your ability to lead a rewarding and fulfilling life, then it’s time to seek help.

Dependent personality disorder treatment methods

There are many ways in which dependent personality disorder can be treated. Your therapist will talk with you about your specific needs and individual circumstances because there are several forms of therapy that may be effective in treating dependent personality and other anxiety disorders, including:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an approach that works to help the brain process information, memories, sounds, and feelings in a way that makes them be seen in a new and less distressing way.
• Mindfulness therapy is an approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves, others, and the world. The ability to be in the moment, to acknowledge and regulate your emotions helps you to break free from negative thought patterns.
• Behavioural therapy tends to view human beings and behaviour with the assumption that humans are a product of their sociocultural conditioning and environment, looking at the current problems and the factors influencing them and emphasizes behaviour changes more than the underlying unconscious processes.
• Gottman couples therapy believes that couples need to be able to work on becoming better friends, learn to manage conflict, and create ways to support each other’s hopes for the future.
• Emotionally focused therapy is based on observations and experience. It looks at emotions and emotional intelligence, which helps support stronger and more secure relationships by helping better understand how our actions impact others, and how our emotions drive our interaction.

To choose the right combination of treatments, an assessment will first be done, and together with your therapist, you’ll find the treatment method that best suits your unique personality and circumstances.

What will I get out of treatment with Insight Psychological?

We can support you as you learn strategies to manage this personality disorder. We can work with you to increase your confidence and self-esteem and reduce the stress that you feel as a result of your anxiety. We can work with you to help you to manage your symptoms and to help you to become self-reliant and to create healthier personal relationships. Insight has several convenient locations in Alberta with caring, compassionate, and knowledgeable therapists available to support you on your journey. If you would like to take care of yourself, experience some autonomy, and have healthier relationships but don’t know how or where to start, please call us today.