DEPENDENT

CLUSTER C PERSONALITY DISORDER

A POWERPOINT BY: ALEAH JOSEPH
 INTRODUCTION
Personality disorders are a group of mental
disorders. They involve long-term patterns of
thoughts and behaviors that are different from what
is considered normal in your culture. The thoughts
and behaviors may be unhealthy and inflexible.
They cause serious problems with relationships,
work, and social activities. They can make it hard to
deal with everyday stresses and problems.

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 WHAT IS DEPENDENT PERSONALITY DISORDER?
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.

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 •Difficulty making decisions without the input or

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
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
•please a valued person or keep them near you
•Having trouble starting projects or doing things alone
•Constantly seeking relationships and cultivating them
to not be alone, no matter how unhealthy the
relationship may be.

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 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

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 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
The main treatment for personality disorders is therapy. Several types of
psychotherapy can be used to treat personality disorders.

•Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): The goal of this type of therapy is to help people
learn how to identify and change destructive or dysfunctional thought patterns.

•Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): This type of CBT aims to teach people how to
manage emotions more effectively, and be more mindful and effective in their
relationships with others.

•Psychodynamic therapy: This method is a form of talk therapy that helps people better
understand their underlying motivations.

•Family therapy: This type of therapy focuses on issues that specifically affect families’
mental health and functioning.
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 TREATMENT
• 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.

• 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

• Support: Having adequate support can help you feel better about your condition and
other conditions that may contribute to your dependent personality disorder

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CO P I N G
Seeking professional support is very important if you have DPD. Learning to live and cope with
your symptoms will also be a key part of your recovery.

Some elements of coping with DPD include:

•Sticking with treatment: Make sure that you keep your appointments and therapy sessions.
Do not stop taking medications without talking to your doctor.

•Knowing your triggers: Your therapist will help you identify the things that trigger your
symptoms, as well as teach you strategies for dealing with triggering situations. Practicing
these strategies will help reduce anxiety.

•Practicing self-care: Taking care of your body and your mind means doing things like getting
enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a nutritious diet. It’s also important to avoid
alcohol and other substances, which can exacerbate your symptoms.
REFERENCES
• Zimmerman, M. (2023, September 29). Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD). MSD Manual

Professional Edition. https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/personality-

disorders/dependent-personality-disorder-dpd

• Dependent Personality Disorder | Knowledge Center. (n.d.). Sheppard Pratt.

https://www.sheppardpratt.org/knowledge-center/condition/dependent-personality-disorder/

• National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Personality disorders.

https://medlineplus.gov/personalitydisorders.html
 THANK YOU FOR LISTENING…

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