What is Depressive Personality Disorder?

Personality disorders are a group of mental illnesses characterized by unhealthy and inflexible behaviors leading to repeated conflicts in the social and work environments of those who suffer from them. Some common examples of personality disorders are obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder.

Depressive personality disorder (DPD) is a mental health condition described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a pervasive pattern of depressive cognitions and behaviors that start in early adulthood and occur in various contexts. The fact that DPD is pervasive helps to distinguish it from other similar conditions, like major depressive episodes or persistent depressive disorder.

Indications of DPD

DPD is characterized by persistent depressive cognitions and behaviors such as low self-esteem, pessimism, chronic unhappiness, an inability to relax or feel enjoyment, and other symptoms. ¹

Is Depressive Personality Disorder the Same as Depression?

Depressive personality disorder is not the same as depression. One significant difference between DPD and depression is that symptoms of depression can be seasonal, situational, or caused by chemical factors. On the other hand, DPD is an ingrained, ever-present personality trait that is not usually based on chemical factors or situations. ²

Can depression change your personality? Individuals who have depression usually go back to their normal personalities after an episode occurs, but there may be some personality changes after prolonged bouts of chronic depression as well.

Is Depression Considered a Mental Illness?

Mental disorders or illnesses are conditions that affect a person’s thinking, mood, feeling, and behavior. They also influence their ability to relate to others and function daily. Depression is considered a mental illness based on all symptoms and the ways that it impacts a person’s life. ³

Symptoms of Depressive Personality Disorder

DPD is usually characterized by five or more symptoms experienced on most days for two years or more. Some examples of these personality traits include: ⁴

Frustration: A person with a depressive personality often exhibits signs of brooding, worry, and frustration, generally in addition to being negative and judgmental towards other people.
Sleep Disturbances: This is either an inability to have a good night’s rest or also sleeping too much, which is often a characteristic of people suffering from DPD.
Fragile Self-Image: This consists of constant feelings of worthlessness, inadequacy, and low self-esteem.
Suicidal Behavior: Often, those with fragile self-image often exhibit suicidal thoughts and behavior as well.
Feelings of Emptiness: The mood of those with depression can include dejection, gloom, unhappiness, emptiness, and an inability to experience pleasure.
Lack of Interest in Relationships: People with DPD often show a lack of interest in things that once brought them joy, even in relationships.
Additional Symptoms: Other symptoms include pessimism, feelings of guilt and remorse, and self-derogatory remarks.

How DPD Differs from Other Disorders

Depressive Personality Disorder shares certain characteristics with other mental health conditions, but it is distinct in significant ways. Unlike Persistent Depressive Disorder (dysthymia), which is defined by chronic low mood, DPD is characterized by enduring pessimistic traits that affect personality as a whole. Similarly, while Avoidant Personality Disorder involves feelings of inadequacy and social inhibition, DPD is primarily defined by pervasive self-criticism and a negative self-image, often independent of social context. These distinctions are crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Causes of Depressive Personality Disorder

Some factors that can lead to the development of DPD are listed as follows:

Brain changes: Changes in the brain such as shrinkage, inflammation, reduced oxygen, or any structural differences in the brain have been associated with depression and other types of personality disorders as well.⁵
Childhood Trauma: More often than not, childhood or adolescent trauma is the leading root cause of mental health disorders, and DPD is no exception.
Genetics: Genetic factors can increase the risk of people developing mental health issues or can also reduce the ability of their brains to deal with or compensate for traumas.⁶
Verbal Abuse: Verbal abuse also has a detrimental effect, much like physical abuse on children and adolescents. Individuals who had to cope with verbal abuse have a higher risk of developing DPD as young adults.
Cultural Factors: Cultural background, unemployment, societal roles, individualism, migration, and gender may influence one’s personality and serve as a risk factor for a depressive personality.

Depressive Personality Disorder Diagnosis

Those with personality disorders rarely know when to seek help since their way of thinking or behavior seems normal to them, meaning diagnosing personality disorders is usually complicated. Also, diagnosis partly depends on the person’s age, as personality disorders are considered adult disorders, though they usually originate from childhood.

Some methods involved in the diagnosis of depressive personality disorders will be discussed further below.⁷

DSM-5 Criteria

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the handbook mainly used by mental health professionals in the United States to diagnose mental illnesses. In the DSM-5, the depressive personality disorder (DPD) construct is assessed through a proposed set of trait domains, namely anxiousness, depressivity, and anhedonia, in a depressive personality disorder test.

However, the diagnostic category of DPD itself has been removed from the DSM-5, delisting it as a distinct illness while putting it in the category of Personality Disorders Not Otherwise Specified, PD-NOS.⁸

Physical Exam

Through lab tests, a physical examination, and a personal interview with an individual, doctors can get an insight into the personality of a depressed person and personality disorders.

Questions on their sleep patterns, recent weight gain or weight loss in an abnormally short time, and physical symptoms like headaches, body pains, issues with digestion, and fatigue are useful in these diagnoses.

Psychiatric Evaluation

Psychiatric evaluations are usually done by mental health professionals who are trained to create a safe and comfortable environment for those with depressed personality traits. Therefore, people can freely share their thoughts and feelings on sensitive or personal issues like their past, relationships, childhood, workplace, etc. These professionals may also talk with the friends and families of suspected persons to gain more insight into their conditions.

Treatment Options Available for Depressive Personality Disorder

Some treatment options available for depressive personality disorder will be explained below.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Here, affected persons, especially those with chronic depressive personality disorder, will talk through their conflicts with a professional to understand their thought processes and emotional patterns better. This helps them become more self-aware and better equipped to understand and manage their problems themselves in the future.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of talk therapy based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that is particularly useful for helping people who feel very intense emotions.

It teaches four core skills: mindfulness, interpersonal skills, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation to cope with and change unhealthy behaviors. ⁹

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

In CBT, negative patterns of thought about one’s self and the world are challenged to effect change from these disturbing, unwanted, or destructive behavior patterns. These thoughts are then gradually substituted for healthy, desirable new ways of thinking. CBT is particularly useful in treating depressive personality disorder symptoms.

Group Therapy

This is a type of psychotherapy conducted with a group of people rather than between one person and a mental health professional.

Usually, those in group therapy face similar issues like addiction. Hence, improved self-awareness and better coping mechanisms can be learned from affected persons with DPD by listening to others dealing with DPD share their experiences.

Treatment for Depressive Personality Disorder at Pacific Beach Health

If you’re looking for a serene environment where you or your loved one can heal, be inspired to do better, and find life-enrichment techniques, Pacific Beach Health may be right for you

Our services range from family therapy to art therapy to CBT and DBT, and much more. We help treat strained marriages, relationships, and substance use disorders and addiction. Contact us today if you or a loved one are looking for help with depressive personality disorder.

What is Depressive Personality Disorder?

Read on to learn more about the symptoms and treatment options available for depressive personality disorder.