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 depends upon the approval of others and doesn't come from real self-esteem. They have an amazing desire to be noticed and sometimes behave dramatically or inappropriately to get attention. The word theatrical means “dramatic or theatrical.”
This disorder is more common in women and folks who were assigned female at birth. However, researchers imagine this may very well be as a consequence of a bias in diagnosing the condition. It often 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've got borderline personality disorder (BPD), you are concerned 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've got NPD, you're 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 may 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 govern others into becoming the focal point.
If you've got this condition, you would:
- Feel uncomfortable unless you might be the focal point
- Act seductively or dress provocatively – or each
- Switch emotions quickly
- Act very dramatically, as if you happen to 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 subsequent
- Don't think before you act
- Make hasty decisions
- Be self-centered and infrequently show consideration for others
- You find it difficult to take care of 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 isn't known, but many psychologists imagine that each learned and inherited things play a task.
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 imagine could play a task:
- 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 way in which you learn to deal with stress in maturity can play a task 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've got one, chances are you'll not think there's anything fallacious with you. Often, someone with histrionic personality disorder seeks help because their condition has caused problems of their life, comparable to relationship problems which have led to depression or anxiety.
If you show signs of HPD, your doctor may take a whole medical and psychiatric history. The doctor may do a physical examination and laboratory tests (comparable to imaging tests or blood tests) to make certain your symptoms are usually not brought on by 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've got HPD, chances are you'll not concentrate on your behavior, so members of the family or others near chances are you'll be asked for his or her opinions.
You may find quizzes and self-assessments online, but there is no such thing as 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 factors for a HPD diagnosis. The most current version of this guide, published in 2013, known as DSM-5.
If you've got 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've got histrionic personality disorder, chances are you'll not think you would like therapy. Your dislike of routine could make it difficult to follow a treatment plan.
Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) is mostly the treatment of selection for histrionic personality disorder. The goal of treatment is to show you how to uncover the motivations and fears associated together with your thoughts and behavior and learn to interact more positively with others.
Types of therapy which may help include:
- Group therapy, where you meet with individuals who have the identical diagnosis under the supervision of a psychologist. If you've got HPD, it may 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, comparable 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 final population of developing depression and substance abuse.
Extreme attention-seeking may include threats of suicide.
If you've got HPD, you usually tend to suffer from certain other mental illnesses. They include:
- Somatic symptom disorder. When you've got 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 isn't serious, and chances are you'll must have unnecessary medical tests and procedures to treat it.
- Panic attacks are transient, intense feelings of fear and a physical response to an unusual, 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 comparable to seizures, paralysis, vision or hearing loss. The symptoms are real but are brought on by your mental disorder affecting your brain and central nervous system.
Many individuals with this disorder are in a position to function well socially and at work. However, in case your case is severe, you would 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've got it, you've got an amazing need for attention and take a look at to get it through dramatic or inappropriate behavior. Researchers aren't entirely sure what causes this, but imagine each genetic aspects and childhood patterns may very well be responsible. There is not 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 would be the trigger so that you can seek help. People with this condition often don't imagine their behavior is an issue.
Is histrionic personality disorder a type of narcissism?
HPD and narcissistic personality disorder are closely related, but they are usually not the identical thing. Both are “cluster B” personality disorders that involve dramatic and impulsive behavior. If you've got narcissistic personality disorder, you're feeling like you might be superior to other people and deserve special treatment.
How common is histrionic personality disorder?
Experts imagine that about 1% of individuals suffer from HPD.
What happens if you happen to ignore someone with histrionic personality disorder?
It's necessary to maintain your emotions in check when coping with someone with HPD. Doesn't match the intensity of their emotions. But if you happen to ignore them, they could escalate their behavior to get your attention.