Dependent Personality Disorder and Your Practice

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03cdedc2ddualp.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FAQs"><U><B>FAQs</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Dr. Silverman"><U><B>About Dr. Silverman</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great links"><U><B>Great links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Mind Reader© archive"><U><B>The Mind Reader© archive</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="03d64643.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></FONT>    |     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Dependent Personality Disorder and Your Practice</div> <bR> <div> In the last issue I described ten different personality disorders as listed in the DSM-IV and a brief description of their consequences. In this article I will focus on the dependent personality disorder. This individual, usually a woman, has a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of. This may be manifested by five or more of the following difficulties: 1) can't make decisions, 2) needs others to assume responsibility for their  life, 3) cannot express disagreement with others, 4) has problems initiating , 5) has excessive need for nurturance and support, 6) is uncomfortable or helpless when alone, 7) preoccupied with fear of taking care of oneself, and 8) replaces one dependent relationship for another. </div> <bR> <div> Dependent personality disorder will be extremely taxing on your energy. He/she will call constantly and maybe at odd hours to seek reassurance. He/she will want you to make their decisions and will equivocate on the follow through of any decision made. He/she will back down under pressure and cave in when security needs are threatened. These are classic high maintenance clients for whom you may need some professional consultation or referral to make your job more manageable.</div> <div> You may find yourself becoming furious because of this client's demands. Remember to separate your professional responsibilities from their personal needs. All personal decisions, even bad ones are the client's responsibility. You are being retained for your legal advice and for your professional time. You cannot make personal decisions for your client. Most of these clients, weaned or abruptly removed from their psychological dependence, are capable of functioning at an acceptable level.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>