Dependent Personality Disorder: Overview and Characteristics

The dependent personality disorder is a psychiatric condition marked by over-reliance on others to meet one's physical and emotional needs. The dependent person may be seen as 'clingy' to others because the person feels that they can't live their life without the help of anyone.
Generally, the dependent personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive fear that leads to clingy behaviour and it often manifests in early adulthood. Such individuals are largely characterized by pessimism and self-doubt, they also tend to belittle their abilities and qualities. Moreover, instead of taking criticism in a positive light they tend to take it as a proof of their worthlessness. The dependency personality disorder is diagnosed in 0.5 to 0.6% of the general population.
Psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy is the preferred form of treatment for dependent personality disorder. Improvements are usually seen with long term therapy or treatment.