Which factor is thought to be the main cause of dependent personality disorder?

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Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) is one of a cluster of personality disorders. Individuals with dependent personality disorder have an excessive need to be taken care of; it often manifests as ‘clinging’ behavior, or a fear of separation.

People with dependent personality disorder strongly doubt their own abilities and skills and cultivate an air of helplessness. Their fear of abandonment is strong, and someone with dependent personality disorder may lie about their ability to perform certain tasks in order to get one of their valued people to do it for them. This creates the idea that they cannot do that task without the other person, preventing the other person from leaving them.

Symptoms of Dependent Personality Disorder

Dependent personality disorder shares some symptoms with other personality disorders, but also has a few unique characteristics that define it. If you notice these behaviors in yourself or someone that you love, you should tell your doctor - there are evaluations that your doctor can perform to figure out if you have dependent personality disorder and get you the help that you need. Symptoms of dependent personality disorder include:

• Difficulty making decisions without the input or presence of others
• Being overly passive or submissive 
• An inability to disagree with or argue with others
• Allowing or preferring other people to handle your personal business
• Extreme fear of abandonment, especially by loved ones
• Intense sadness and lethargy when a loved one leaves or after a breakup
• A willingness to do anything in your power, including putting up with abuse or mistreatment or doing dangerous or illegal things, to please a valued person or keep them near you
• Having trouble starting projects or doing things alone
• Constantly seeking relationships and cultivating them in order to not be alone, no matter how unhealthy the relationship may be

Causes and Risk Factors for Dependent Personality Disorder

While there are no direct or specific causes of dependent personality disorder, some conditions and circumstances can make a person's  likelihood of developing the disorder higher. These include:

• Traumatic abandonment in childhood through family circumstances or war
• A family history of personality disorders, depression, or anxiety
• Surviving childhood abuse, including stifling parenting, withdrawn parenting, or having parents who punished individual thinking
• Having a chronic physical illness in childhood

Treatment for Dependent Personality Disorder

You and your doctor can come up with a treatment plan that can help you be more in control of your disorder using medication, therapy, and other tools. 

Medication: No medication is approved to treat dependent personality disorder directly, but some medications like anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers can help control the symptoms. 

Therapy: Psychotherapy is often the first line of treatment in helping you gain control over your dependent personality disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other types of psychodynamic therapy can help you learn new behaviors. Find the right care option for you at Sheppard Pratt.

Education: Learning more about dependent personality disorder, personality disorders, and other mental health conditions can help you and your loved ones understand more about the support that you need to thrive. Learn more about mental health through our Knowledge Center.

Support: Having adequate support can help you feel better about your condition and other conditions that may contribute to your dependent personality disorder. See the support groups available at Sheppard Pratt.

Research shows that DPD, like other personality disorders, can be difficult to treat. However, studies have also found that people with DPD have some characteristics that can make treatment more successful. This includes being eager to please (so they are more likely to be compliant with therapy), being sensitive to interpersonal cues and being more likely to ask for guidance and assistance. They are also self-aware and capable of forming strong relationships.

Treatment for DPD includes psychodynamic therapy, which focuses on the psychological roots of emotional suffering, emphasizing self-reflection and self-examination. Another common treatment for the condition is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This approach may help the individual gain an understanding of dominating automatic thoughts, and to learn how and when it manifests in their psyche, according to Dr. Twine.

“The main goal is to help people gain independence and help them form healthy relationships by improving self-esteem and self-confidence,” adds Dr. Birnbaum.

You can do this by seeking care with a licensed therapist who can help to identify the negative cycle, including triggers, negative automatic thoughts and negative feelings and behavior. “Identifying a cycle will help the client to see themselves while in the moment, thus becoming greatly aware of themselves and using coping and regulation skills to regulate emotions and dismantle negative thoughts,” says Dr. Twine.

Work with a therapist to learn to identify negative thought patterns, cognitive distortions and dominating thoughts. This can help the patient build an awareness and understanding of what makes them spiral. “Over time, patients should learn how to regulate emotions and build skills to healthily express their emotions without fear of self or rejection of others,” adds Dr. Twine.

Because DPD often stems from a childhood experience and is a mindset someone has relied on for years, it’s hard to say whether it can be prevented. “It’s difficult to get patients to let go of this pattern of thinking,” notes Dr. Twine. Since so much of DPD stems from parenting issues such as neglect or abuse, proper parenting from the start would likely be the only way to prevent DPD from forming.

There are steps, though, that can be done to lessen symptoms, such as attending therapy. “Its impact on one’s life can be minimized substantially, and with good care, symptoms can be very well managed or may even go away entirely,” explains Dr. Birnbaum.

Caregivers can help by getting patients to make some of their own decisions, and over time, build up more confidence.

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