HISTRIONIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

Symptoms

The main symptoms of a histrionic personality are emotional instability and lability, and overexpression of emotions. A person with this disorder has no inhibitions about theatrically presenting their dilemmas. They want to attract the attention of those around them at all costs, impress an audience, and be accepted. At the same time, a person with a histrionic personality tends to fall into depressive states, which they try to compensate for through behavior aimed at winning the sympathy of those around them. They may be flirtatious, but also capricious. Above all, they are theatrical and exaggerated in the way they speak and behave. However, despite its powerful expression, the emotionality of a histrionic personality is superficial, which usually makes an unfavorable impression on others. A histrionic person may also react inadequately to the situation (for example, laughing out loud in sad circumstances) and use emotional blackmail as a form of manipulation. It is characterized by a lack of authenticity in experiencing theatrically demonstrated emotions, hypersensitivity to criticism, and egocentrism. People with a histrionic personality are often afraid of imaginary illnesses, which they describe to others with exaggerated expression. Narcissistic traits are also often observed in such people.

Causes

The reasons for the development of histrionic personality traits in a given person are usually complex and psychological in nature, and are related to improper upbringing and disturbed family relationships. This type of personality usually develops in people who were often punished and criticized in childhood, treated with indifference by their parents or caregivers (and had to seek their attention in various ways), and in people with low self-esteem. A lack of consistency in raising a child can also result in the development of a histrionic personality. Other factors that contribute to the development of this disorder include hereditary and individual character traits, biological factors (the structure of the neurotransmitter system and abnormalities in brain structure), and genetic conditions.

Diagnosis

As for the criteria on which psychiatrists base their diagnosis of this type of personality, it is a personality disorder characterized by:

feeling uncomfortable in situations where you are not the center of attention
interactions with others that are often characterized by inappropriate erotic seduction or provocative behavior
expression of rapidly changing and shallow emotions
consistent use of physical appearance to attract the attention of others
a style of expression that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail
self-dramatization, theatricality, exaggeration in the expression of emotions
being highly suggestible, i.e. easily influenced by other people or circumstances
considering relationships to be more intimate than they actually are.

Treatment

Treatment for a person with this type of personality disorder mainly consists of psychotherapy. The reason for seeking therapy is usually not the structure of the personality of a histrionic person itself, but rather problems and crises related to relationships with other people. Most often, these are situations in which the patient experiences a serious conflict, goes through a relationship crisis, is unable to function in their current way, or for some other reason the patient’s ability to function and cope deteriorates. During psychotherapy, in the relationship with the therapist, all the characteristics of relationships with other people discussed above emerge as well. Therefore, therapy may be characterized by strong emotions and drama, and by the expectation that it be especially patient-focused. Pharmacological treatment is indicated in cases of symptoms of depression or anxiety disorders.