Histrionic personality disorder belongs to a bunch of disorders called “cluster B” or “dramatic” personality disorders. People with these disorders have intense, unstable emotions and distorted self-images. For individuals with histrionic personality disorder (HPD), their self-esteem is determined by the approval of others and doesn’t come from real self-esteem. They have an amazing desire to be noticed and infrequently behave dramatically or inappropriately to get attention. The word theatrical means “dramatic or theatrical.”
This disorder is more common in women and other people who were assigned female at birth. However, researchers consider this may very well be because of a bias in diagnosing the condition. It normally becomes apparent during adolescence or early maturity.
Histrionic vs. Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is one other “cluster B” disorder. Like individuals with histrionic personality disorder, individuals with BPD have strong emotions that change quickly. If you might have borderline personality disorder (BPD), you are worried rather a lot about others abandoning you.
A key difference between these two personality disorders is that folks with BPD experience more despair and exhibit more suicidal behavior.
Histrionic vs. narcissistic personality disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) can be a “cluster B” disorder. When you might have NPD, you are feeling superior to other people and think you might be entitled to praise and special treatment. A key difference between histrionic and narcissistic disorders is that somebody with NPD could be very focused on how special they’re, what experts call “grandiosity.”
In many cases, individuals with histrionic personality disorder have good social skills; But they have an inclination to make use of these skills to control others into becoming the focal point.
If you might have this condition, you might:
- Feel uncomfortable unless you might be the focal point
- Act seductively or dress provocatively – or each
- Switch emotions quickly
- Act very dramatically, as should you were performing in front of an audience, with exaggerated emotions and expressions, but seemingly without sincerity
- Be too concerned with appearance
- Constantly seek validation or approval
- Be gullible and simply influenced by others
- Be overly sensitive to criticism or disapproval
- Have a low frustration tolerance and turn out to be easily bored by routine, often starting projects without completing them or jumping from one event to the following
- Don't think before you act
- Make hasty decisions
- Be self-centered and infrequently show consideration for others
- You find it difficult to keep up relationships and you frequently appear artificial or superficial when coping with others
- Threaten or attempt suicide to get attention
The exact reason behind histrionic personality disorder shouldn’t be known, but many psychologists consider that each learned and inherited things play a job.
For example, the tendency for histrionic personality disorders to run in families suggests that there could also be a genetic cause. But the kid of a parent with this disorder may simply repeat the behavior she or he learned at home.
Other things experts consider could play a job:
- Don't be criticized or punished as a baby
- Only receive positive feedback from parents whenever you engage in certain behaviors that they approve of
- Inconsistent, unpredictable parental attention
- Confusion about which behaviors receive parental approval
Your temperament, psychological style, and the best way you learn to address stress in maturity can play a job in the event of a personality disorder.
Your personality changes and develops as you grow up, so it’s unusual for a health care provider to diagnose histrionic personality disorder before you switch 18.
Personality disorders are difficult to acknowledge, and if you might have one, you might not think there may be anything fallacious with you. Often, someone with histrionic personality disorder seeks help because their condition has caused problems of their life, similar to relationship problems which have led to depression or anxiety.
If you show signs of HPD, your doctor may take an entire medical and psychiatric history. The doctor may do a physical examination and laboratory tests (similar to imaging tests or blood tests) to be certain your symptoms usually are not attributable to a physical illness.
If the doctor doesn’t find any physical symptoms, she or he may refer the person to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other licensed behavioral health skilled who can use specially designed interview and assessment tools to screen an individual for a personality disorder.
A psychologist will ask you questions on the next topics:
- Work history
- Relationships
- Impulse control
If you might have HPD, you might not pay attention to your behavior, so members of the family or others near you might be asked for his or her opinions.
You may find quizzes and self-assessments online, but there isn’t a accurate test for histrionic personality disorder. Only a psychologist could make a diagnosis.
The American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders describes the standards for a HPD diagnosis. The most current version of this guide, published in 2013, is known as DSM-5.
If you might have HPD, you repeatedly exhibit five or more of those behaviors:
- You feel uncomfortable whenever you're not the focal point
- They behave seductively or provocatively
- Your emotions are superficial and alter easily
- You use your appearance to draw attention
- Her speech is vague
- You think your relationships are closer than they really are
- You are easily influenced by others
- Your emotions are dramatic or exaggerated
If you might have histrionic personality disorder, you might not think you wish therapy. Your dislike of routine could make it difficult to follow a treatment plan.
Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) is usually the treatment of alternative for histrionic personality disorder. The goal of treatment is to show you how to uncover the motivations and fears associated along with your thoughts and behavior and learn to interact more positively with others.
Types of therapy that may help include:
- Group therapy, where you meet with individuals who have the identical diagnosis under the supervision of a psychologist. If you might have HPD, it will possibly provide you with insight into how your individual behavior affects other people.
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy attempts to unravel your emotions and behavior.
- Supportive psychotherapy focuses on improving your symptoms and developing coping strategies.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy is a goal-oriented approach that helps you unlearn negative patterns and replace them with healthier ones.
You could also be taking medications to treat other conditions, similar to depression and anxiety.
Histrionic personality disorder can affect your social, skilled, or romantic relationships and your response to loss or failure. They even have the next risk than the overall population of developing depression and substance abuse.
Extreme attention-seeking may include threats of suicide.
If you might have HPD, you usually tend to suffer from certain other mental illnesses. They include:
- Somatic symptom disorder. When you might have something like this, you turn out to be very focused on a physical symptom you might be having and turn out to be overly upset about it. You may not realize that the symptom itself shouldn’t be serious, and you might must have unnecessary medical tests and procedures to treat it.
- Panic attacks are temporary, intense feelings of fear and a physical response to an abnormal, non-threatening situation.
- Conversion disorders are also known as functional neurological symptom disorder. If you suffer from it, your mental health condition results in physical symptoms similar to seizures, paralysis, vision or hearing loss. The symptoms are real but are attributable to your mental disorder affecting your brain and central nervous system.
Many individuals with this disorder are capable of function well socially and at work. However, in case your case is severe, you might have significant problems in your each day life without treatment.
HPD can’t be prevented. But treatment can show you how to manage your condition and learn to administer your emotions and relationships in a healthier way.
Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is a “cluster B” personality disorder. When you might have it, you might have an amazing need for attention and check out to get it through dramatic or inappropriate behavior. Researchers aren't entirely sure what causes this, but consider each genetic aspects and childhood patterns may very well be responsible. There isn’t any specific medication for HPD, but various types of therapy can be found. You could also be taking medication to treat anxiety or depression, which can even affect individuals with HPD. In fact, depression or anxiety often is the trigger so that you can seek help. People with this condition often don't consider their behavior is an issue.
Is histrionic personality disorder a type of narcissism?
HPD and narcissistic personality disorder are closely related, but they usually are not the identical thing. Both are “cluster B” personality disorders that involve dramatic and impulsive behavior. If you might have narcissistic personality disorder, you are feeling like you might be superior to other people and deserve special treatment.
How common is histrionic personality disorder?
Experts consider that about 1% of individuals suffer from HPD.
What happens should you ignore someone with histrionic personality disorder?
It's essential to maintain your emotions in check when coping with someone with HPD. Doesn't match the intensity of their emotions. But should you ignore them, they might escalate their behavior to get your attention.