Causes of Dependent Personality Disorder
Critical, overwhelming parenting style, stuck at the oral stage of psychosexual development according to Freud. Psychologically corresponds to dependence on authority, declared social values, dependence on a psychoactive substance.
Symptoms of Dependent Personality Disorder
Subordinating their own needs to the needs of others, forcing others to take responsibility for the most important events in their lives, trying to be on the sidelines, lacking confidence, feeling discomfort alone. They become anxious if they are asked to take the lead. Pessimism, doubt, passivity, fear of discovering one’s sexual and aggressive feelings are characteristic. They experience a feeling of inconvenience and helplessness in solitude due to excessive fear of inability to live independently, therefore they are afraid to be abandoned by a person who has a close relationship and remain left to himself. They can not make many everyday decisions without reinforced advice and encouragement from others.
Treatment of Dependent Personality Disorder
Assertiveness training (the ability to say “no”), increasing self-esteem in a group psychotherapy.