Our therapists offer dependent personality disorder therapy in Littleton, CO

Dependent Personality Disorder Counseling in Littleton, CO—Therapy and Treatment

Dependent Personality Disorder introduces a number of serious personal and professional challenges that can severely handicap an individual’s life. When people have the disorder, they are often overly compliant with their caretaker or authority figures in their lives. They often underestimate their own skills and do not trust their own ability to provide for themselves. They usually have low self-esteem and look to others to meet their financial, emotional, material, and psychological needs. In short, Dependent Personality Disorder can keep people from living a fully independent and self-reliant life, but it has treatments.

The mental health professionals at Thriveworks Littleton have worked with many clients who have Dependent Personality Disorder. It is possible for those with the disorder to live a unique and fulfilling life. If you are struggling with the disorder or are showing symptoms, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help. Contact us today.

Signs of Dependent Personality Disorder

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) outlines the signs and symptoms of Dependent Personality Disorder (301.6[F70.7]) as follows:

1. A need to be cared for.
2. Fear of separation.
3. Submissive behavior.

Further, a minimum of five of the following signs will also be present:

• Seeking advice and reassurance for most decisions… which color sweater to buy… what to eat for lunch… and more…
• Challenges forming and maintaining mutual friendships that do not evolve into a caretaking relationship.
• Having others take over responsibility for significant portions of one’s life, like paying one’s bills.
• Being acutely afraid of abandonment, particularly by a caregiver.
• Doing anything and everything to guarantee the continued support and nurture from a caretaker.
• Minimizing one’s feelings, opinions, and thoughts to please a caregiver.
• Conforming to a caregiver’s feelings, opinion, and thoughts in exchange for their help and continued support.
• If one relationship ends that was a caretaking relationship, it is quickly replaced.
• Feeling uncomfortable with one’s own independence and individuality.

Learning Independence

Independence and self-reliance is the goal of any treatment plan for Dependent Personality Disorder. In order to achieve this goal, mental health professionals have many tools to offer their clients, but they must avoid becoming another authority figure or caregiver upon which the client depends. A few of the options available for treatment include…

• Psychodynamic therapy is a treatment option that seeks to identify the root causes of the disorder. It explores when and how the dependency started. Clients who need this therapy also need to know that it is a long-term commitment. It may take time, but it often offers holistic healing.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy is a therapy that focuses upon the disordered belief that fuel the dependency. It helps people recognize the negative, false beliefs for what they are so that they can replaced these beliefs with true, positive ones.
• Medication is often necessary for healing. When a prescription can relief an individual’s symptoms, they can often focus more upon healing and coping strategies that allow them to live independently in the long-term.

Scheduling Therapy at Thriveworks Littleton for Dependent Personality Disorder

Are you ready to meet with a mental health professional? When you call Thriveworks Littleton, a real person will answer you call and help you make an appointment. Weekend and evening sessions are available. We also accept many different forms of insurance. Call Thriveworks Littleton today.