Stress Management

Dependent Personality Disorder and Mental Health

Tip! Stress is very deceptive and many people who feel very stressed are actually handling their stress quite well while others who do not feel stressed are on the edge of disaster.
According to experts, dependent personality disorders are common. These types of personalities suffer symptoms including, incompetence to make their own decisions. They will often rely on others around them to make a decision. Dependent personality types will often avoid responsibility and will rely on others to handle their lives and tasks. Dependent personality types will often tolerate abuse, neglect, including cheating of spouse.

They are often depressed, passive and will use alcohol or drugs to relieve their anxiety and stress. It is important to evaluate these types of personality and not confuse them with traditional women that have submissive traits or personalities. The two are different in the sense that the traditional woman will not tolerate anyone going against her beliefs and will defend the person without thinking twice about it, in most cases. Dependent personality types are found in Histrionic and Borderline Personality types, but the difference is Histrionic and Borderline Personality types will manipulate, control, abuse and act out in behaviors that are dangerous to others.

Tip! With this in mind, make yourself familiar with the every day stress situations that go with the particular jobs in your audience.

Dependent personality types often need long-term treatment since the underlying source of the symptoms is fear because of undo punishment, neglect or abuse. The person probably lived in an unruly household and was subjected to harsh punishment. For example if the patient is engaged and a sudden breakup occurs the mother may say, I told you so. Dependent personality type may even ask mom or dad if it is ok to go to the store. They often stick close to the sources that initiated the disorder from the beginning. Therefore, we are dealing with co-dependency and dependent personality problems.

The co-dependency is the parents that will not allow the patient to move ahead to independence. Therefore, we have to apply a technique that will work to aid the patient separate his or her self from the patients and work toward relying on self. We need to move ahead by helping the patient see that fear is the root of the problem, and then search the mind to find the source that caused or promoted the fear.

Tip! It is very important to note that the one element common amongst all techniques discussed (physical exercise, Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung or just basic meditation), is abdominal breathing.


Now, we begin by talking through the problems and sorting out the information, gathering roots that instigated the patient’s behaviors. It is important to remain consistent to help the patient see that he or she can defend her or his individuality without being punished for doing so. We should never raise our voices or attempt to control the patient, rather allow the patient room to speak his or her mind freely. An inviting method for opening up the patients mind is to ask questions that surround the problem.