In today's world, many people suffer from various addictions. Psychological and physiological addictions are equally harmful to us. How to deal with them, what is the primary source of the problem, can you help yourself? It is possible, the main thing is to be honest with yourself and remember that we are all ordinary people.
Personality disorder
Personality disorder is a type of mental disorder. It is characterized by the fact that the behavior of the individual strongly deviates from established norms. This is a serious violation in the patient's psyche, which entails the destruction of almost all spheres of life. Personality disorder is always accompanied by social disintegration, that is, separation of oneself from society.
When can be found?
Dependent personality disorder occurs during adolescence or late childhood. At this stage, the disease is only in its infancy, but it can also manifest itself in maturity. After conducting certain tests for personality accentuation, that is, a person’s inclinations, one can determine whether he is prone tomental disorder. Since adolescents have an unstable nervous system, the most accurate results of accentuation can be obtained at the age of 16-17. Psychological tests make it possible not only to determine the type of personality, but also to demonstrate the severity of the disorder and its further development. The younger the person, the easier it is to cure him. This is due to the fact that with age, all fears and beliefs take root in the mind very firmly, it is more difficult to “expel” them from there every year.
What is Dependent Personality Disorder?
Another name for this disease, or rather, an outdated name is asthenic personality disorder. The disease is a personality disorder that is characterized by feelings of helplessness, weakness, and impotence without the help or support of others. The patient feels that he cannot live and exist normally without someone else.
Reasons
During the Soviet Union, a personality disorder of a dependent type was considered psychopathy, which was explained by the congenital inferiority of the human nervous system, the presence of birth injuries, heredity and harmful factors that could affect the fetus. To date, scientists believe that there can be many reasons. They can be not only congenital, but also acquired. Of course, genetic predisposition plays a huge role, but it has been proven that past physical, psychological or sexual abuse (especially at an early age) cancreate fertile ground for the development of a personality disorder.
Dependent Personality Disorder: Symptoms
Symptoms of the disease include:
- desire to shift responsible decisions to other people;
- complete submission to the desires of another person, inadequate compliance;
- refusing to criticize or make any demands on other people, even within reasonable limits;
- inability to live independently, which provokes the fear of loneliness;
- fear of being abandoned;
- inability to make simple everyday decisions without support or advice from third parties.
This is just a basic list of symptoms, because it is simply impossible to describe all sorts of behaviors and thoughts of a sick person. It is very important to recognize dependent personality disorder and not be deluded that the person is simply too affectionate and affectionate.
As for additional symptoms, we can say that a person perceives himself as something inferior. He cannot make decisions and make choices on his own, he does not even strive for this. In order to feel peace and security, it is very important for the patient to have at least one person who will always tell you what to do. The danger lies in the fact that the patient does not see reality. He can blindly follow all the instructions of the other person, follow his lead and not notice the obvious use. Moreover, a sick person will defend and praise his “ruler” in every possible way, seeing only good and positive qualities in him. It should also be noted that such patients are very afraid to enter into conflicts with a loved one. They will avoid tension in every possible way, doing everything they can to please the other. At the same time, having support from the outside, such a person can be aggressive towards others. Having her, he believes that the whole world is for him, so there is nothing to fear.
If the patient loses the person to whom he was attached, he may become depressed or completely apathetic. The fear of loneliness will constantly haunt the patient, so he will quickly begin to search for a new object that would take full responsibility. This explains the gullibility and naivete of people who are ready to entrust their lives to anyone who will not refuse.
Diagnosis
As we said above, dependent personality disorder is a type of general personality disorder. The disease belongs to the class of anxiety and panic disorders. To be properly diagnosed, a person must exhibit some of the following characteristics by age 18:
- difficulty making everyday decisions without outside approval;
- need for people to make responsible decisions;
- still hidden desire to be led;
- difficulties in taking the initiative;
- feelings of increased discomfort due to the fact thatman cannot help himself;
- expressed desire to receive approval and guardianship, even to the detriment of oneself;
- quick replacement of old relationships with new ones if there is a break;
- a huge number of inadequate fears.
Self-healing
How to overcome dependent personality disorder? Treatment on its own is almost impossible in the last stages. In order to recover from this disease on your own, it is very important to realize the problem. The chances are especially great for a person who, without outside help, realized that he was sick. Having realized and accepted the fact of the disease, you can move on. It is very important not to make sudden transitions. For example, you can not deprive yourself of support at once. In the treatment of mental disorders of the dependent type, consistency and gradualness are very important. The patient must wean himself from constant dependence, make small decisions every day, adjust himself to his own significance, the ability to live independently. At the same time, you should remember about he althy support from loved ones. You should not go too far and deprive yourself of the natural need for approval, but it is important to know when to stop. Only gradual and independent treatment can give really impressive results.
Unfortunately, official treatment is most often violence against the will of the patient. It is quite acceptable and necessary in the treatment of physical ailments, but mental organization requires a more subtle and careful approach.
Official treatment
Formal treatment involves group psychotherapy. A person learns to work in a group and through this increases their self-esteem in order to overcome dependent personality disorder. The symptoms of the disease are such that in order to overcome them it is very important to realize oneself as a full and viable person. Psychotherapists also recommend conducting assertiveness training, that is, learning to say “no”. This is a very important skill for such patients, it is on this that most of the attention should be concentrated. The healing process itself is based on the fact that a person learns two truths:
- he can live alone and make his own decisions;
- refusing is okay.
Possible consequences of the disease
Dependent personality disorder, the causes of which can be overcome, can have very negative consequences. Unfortunately, if a person does not seek medical help or does not work on himself, this can end very badly. Not all people can realize and recognize themselves as sick, but some succeed. Responsibility for the he alth of others lies with their loved ones, who must identify the disease in time and enroll the person for treatment. Perceiving this disease as a minor trifle or stupidity can lead to the fact that a person will suffer from addiction for a lifetime. Possible consequences:
- tendency to drug addiction, alcoholism, promiscuity, violation of generally accepted norms;
- permanent depression, psychosis;
- treatment will become more difficult with age;
- disclaiming responsibility for one's own life.
You should understand very well what this disease can lead to in order to help yourself or your loved ones in time. Only attention, support and sensitivity will help the patient to get rid of the burden of heavy addiction.
