Dependency refers to a person’s reliance on another person- either by simply their presence or their help with things ranging from life essentials to social functioning. Children depend on adults for care and emotional support until they are able to care for themselves. Adults depend on family, spouses, partners, and friends for the emotional support and care that they need. Although dependency is a natural state in many circumstances at extreme or abnormal levels an individual with a dependent personality can sometimes be classified as having dependent personality disorder.