Dependent personality disorder is defined as a pathological need to be taken care of and an excessive fear of being separated. If you have dependent personality disorder, you feel terrified and helpless when by yourself. You also behave submissively, tolerate mistreatment, and demean yourself to gain acceptance from others.
Some of the symptoms include:
• Not being able to make everyday decisions
• Feeling helpless when alone
• Having a need to start a new relationship when another one ends
• Being terrified of being left alone to take care of yourself
• Unable to disagree with others because of being afraid of disapproval
• Having trouble starting things on your own
• Needing others to take responsibility for much of your life
• Going to extreme measures to gain support from others
People may be more likely to develop a dependent personality if family has it. Identical twins are more likely to suffer from the disorder than fraternal (non-identical) twins. In addition, when a parent becomes overprotective and discourages independent behaviour. If the parent makes new experiences too easy, and doesn’t let the child learn from experience, they may develop dependent personality disorder.
