Dependent Personality Disorder and Receiving Social Security Disability
Personality disorder is a wide, inclusive term that describes a type of mental illness where the way that you perceive situations, relate to others and the ways that you think are dysfunctional. You may or may not know that there are many different, specific kinds of personality disorders. Nearly 15% of adults in the United States have some kind of personality disorder. This means that over 30 million Americans have some type of personality disorder. Dependent personality disorder (DPD) is one of these kinds of personality disorders. It used to be referred to as asthenic personality disorder. Dependent personality disorder is one of a group of personality disorders that are referred to as anxious personality disorders. These personality disorders are characterized by emotions of fear and nervousness. Dependent personality disorder is marked by a pervasive dependence on other people. It is a chronic (long-term) condition where you depend too much on others to meet your physical and emotional needs. Dependent personality disorder is characterized by a need for constant reassurance and to be taken care of, an inability to make decisions, submissiveness and helplessness. Dependent personality disorder is one of the most common types of personality disorder. It occurs in about 2.5% of the general population. It often develops along with other personality disorders like avoidant personality disorder. Dependent personality disorder seems to occur equally among men and women. It usually develops in young to middle-aged adults. There are many different signs and symptoms that may indicate that you have dependent personality disorder. These include:- Having difficulty being alone
- Being overly sensitive to criticism
- Being inclined to live in fantasy or be naïve
- An avoidance of personality responsibility
- The inability to make decisions without the reassurance and advice of others
- Placing the needs of your caregivers above your own
- Avoiding disagreement with others for fear of losing their approval or support
- Not being able to start projects
- An intense fear of abandonment and separation
- A willingness to tolerate abuse and mistreatment from others
- A lack of self-confidence and pessimism
- Passive, clinging and needy behavior.
