Dependent personality disorder (DPD) is a type of anxious personality disorder. People with DPD have an inability to be alone, they are overly dependent on others for their emotional and physical needs.
They feel excessive anxiety and fear when they are not around others. Dependent personality disorder (DPD) treatment includes psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Both of these treatments will help individuals reach independence and live a better life.
People who do not have this disorder sometimes deal with feelings of insecurity the distinct difference here is that a person with DPD needs reassurance from others in order to function every day. they need reassurance for the smallest things like what to wear every day. Dependent personality disorder (DPD) usually starts during childhood or by the age of 29.
Statistics show that roughly 10%of adults have a personality disorder. Less than 1% of adults meet the criteria for DPD.
Signs and symptoms of Dependent personality disorder (DPD)
These are a few signs of this disorder:
- Overwhelming dependence on friends and family.
- Putting the opinions of others above their own.
- Need for repeated reassurance.
- Being overly sensitive to criticism
- Inability to be alone
- Fear of abandonment
- Tendency to be naïve
- Fear of rejection
Following are the symptoms a person with DPD experiences when they are alone:
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Nervousness
- Fear
- Hopelessness
How is DPD diagnosed?
Your doctor will give a physical exam to check if any physical illness could be the cause of your symptoms, particularly anxiety.
A psychiatrist or a therapist is the one to diagnose DPD. They will take into consideration your symptoms, history, and mental state to arrive at a diagnosis.
The important aspect of the diagnosis is a detailed history of your diagnosis. Questions such as how long have you been experiencing such symptoms? For how long have been experiencing them? will be asked by your therapist. they may also ask you about your present life and childhood.
Dependent personality disorder (DPD) treatment
DPD is a curable and manageable disorder. Therapy for dependent personality disorder (DPD) is the course of action to treat this disorder. With the right treatment and therapist, a person with DPD can reach normal levels of independence.
Psychotherapy like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the best treatment for dependent personality disorder. CBT is very effective in treating personality disorders. CBT emphasizes identifying and changing negative thought patterns which affect a person’s ability to think, act and behave.
Why CBT is the right treatment for DPD?
- CBT cure for dependent personality disorder is absolutely the right course of action. CBT is a form of psychotherapy that is usually short-term basis, which is a good thing in the case of dependent personality (DPD) treatment as the client will not become dependent on the therapist. if the therapy treatment is long-term basis a DPD client can develop a dependence on the therapist.
- CBT examines a person’s negative thoughts, emotions, patterns, and behaviors. It will not only help a DPD client recognize the dependency patterns but also help them to find the strength of independence.
- Dependency is the core problem of DPD. CBT targets this disruptive thought pattern (the core) and helps replace it with a more positive thought pattern.
- Medications are usually the last resort for DPD, as the individual may start depending on the medication. CBT is a talk therapy that rarely requires the use of medication, so it eliminates the prescription dependence problem. Your therapist might prescribe you medication for anxiety but it will be supervised.
Potential complications of not treating DPD
A person with dependent personality disorder can live a healthy and better life if they seek timely treatment from a therapist. when you leave an illness untreated you are at risk for potential complications that can make your illness worse. Dependent personality disorder (DPD) is a serious mental health issue that cannot be left untreated. Following are the complications that can arrive from untreated DPD:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), avoidant personality disorder.
- Substance abuse
- Phobias
Dependent personality disorder hinders your relationships as well. a person with untreated DPD may stay in abusive or unhealthy relationships for a long period of time that will further cripple the mental health of the person.
The cause of DPD is unknown so, which makes it difficult to prevent the condition from developing. However, recognizing your symptoms and seeking the right dependent personality disorder (DPD) treatment can prevent the condition from worsening. People with DPD generally improve with treatment. Many symptoms will slowly decrease over the course of treatment. Finding out that you have a mental health issue can be very disheartening but please do not lose hope every illness have a solution or treatment. You can get better and live a peaceful life.
Feel free to reach out to us for counseling and psychotherapy sessions from our trained psychologists, and psychotherapists.