When a person's self-reliance is tarnished by reliance on someone else, it can be referred to as a "shameful dependence." If you're searching for alternative phrases to describe this feeling, there are plenty of great synonyms to choose from. For example, a "pathetic reliance" or a "humiliating need" both capture the same sense of helplessness. You could also call it a "debasing trust" or a "degrading dependence," both of which imply a loss of personal power. Other possibilities include "groveling dependence," "servile reliance," or "abject need." Each of these phrases gets at the same basic feeling of diminished self-worth that comes with relying too heavily on someone else.