CHRISTIAN SINGLE’S GUIDE TO PERSONALITY DISORDERS
WHICH CAUSE DEPRESSION FOR BOTH THE PERPETRATOR AND THEIR VICTIMS
Chapter 25 Warning- A Christian Single’s Dating Disaster:
Narcissism And Other Personality Disorders
The Dependent Personality Disorder
There are several different types of dependent personality
disorder, and various causes, such as inherent laziness, a passive
approach to life, apathy, a “spoiled brat” complex, and the “sponge”
who makes a career of living off the work and sweat of others,
especially family or spouse. There are those who expend more time
going from place to place, telling their hard luck story to get free
food, clothing, shelter etc., than they would expend working, at least
part time to cover their needs. You may have met some of these folks.
If they are not too lazy, or too proud, they may be the panhandler you
see everywhere, asking for money to ride a bus, buy food or gas to
fill their empty tank (of their non-existent car!) A waitress told me
about a man she knew who “worked” the parking lot of a pricey
hotel, asking for money from (probably) startled hotel guests. She
said he made over $150.00 in four hours, more than she earned in 8
hours of hard work.
We should not assume that everyone we meet who asks for help is too
lazy to work, and consider this: there is a mission field out there
for those who want to use their kind words and a small gift to lead
the beggar to the Lord. Rather than give them money that may be wasted
on alcohol or drugs though, we could carry gift cards from fast food
restaurants, and enclose a tract. For only a few dollars, the person
can get a hot meal and an invitation to your church, or a witness of
Jesus and His love for that soul. I don’t want to encourage a
hardness of heart toward the down and out, Christian singles, yet a
tough-love approach will help the dependent to become self-sufficient.
This means not always bailing out family or friends who manage to get
themselves in trouble on a regular basis.
