What Is Histrionic Personality Disorder? People Who Want To Be The Center Of Attention
Histrionic personality disorder is characterized by theatrical behavior and a desire to be the center of attention. Find out what its symptoms are and a possible treatment.
He histrionic personality disorder or histrionics It is a pathology that some people suffer from and that involves an alteration of behavior with excessive drama and theatricality.
Another of his characteristics is the constant desire to be the center of attention, the high degrees of enthusiasm and seduction and seeking approval from others. According to some studies, histrionic personality disorder (THP ) affects women to a greater extent than men and has a prevalence of 2% in the population as a whole.
Generally, this disorder begins in early adulthood, in late adolescence or early adulthood, and is framed among various personality disorders. In this article we will see what is histrionic personality disorder what characteristics it has, how it manifests and what is its most appropriate treatment.
What is it to be histrionic? The histronic personality in psychology
According to the RAE, the word histrionic comes from histrión, which refers to a person who expresses himself with affectation or exaggeration typical of a theatrical actor In psychology, constant histrionics is related to the psychopathology that bears its name, although not all people who show these character traits suffer from a histrionic personality disorder.
So, one histrionic personality Sometimes it is relatively common but in more difficult cases it usually affects forms of behavior and relationships in society.
Be in the limelight
One of the common characteristics of histrionic personality disorder is the need to constantly attract attention and failure to do so can be a problem for those who suffer from it. A practical study carried out at a Colombian university and published by the magazine Psychopeoplerevealed that the people with PHD they have a powerful self image , completely overrated both when it comes to her image, body, talent and skills. One of the conclusions was the following:
“Those who suffer from the disorder hope to be a constant attraction, thus living in a fantasy where everything they do and say is important, transcendent and worthy of recognition. Being striking, irresistible and important is a value that persistently stands out in the beliefs and values that define the disorder.”.
With these aspects, it is not strange that the people with histrionic personality disorder They are successful both professionally and socially, although they show a victimizing character when they are not the center of attention since they do not feel valued as they believe they deserve.
For this reason, they are usually emotionally unstable and live on a constant treadmill of feelings which can go from unbridled enthusiasm to the greatest drama.
Histronic personality disorder
The personality disorders They are patterns in the way of relating and perceiving the environment that do not adjust to the cultural context of the subject. Its traits manifest themselves in several areas such as affective, cognitive, and impulse control and usually lead to a maladaptive attitude that generates discomfort and social difficulties.
Personality disorders are classified according to DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), edited by the American Psychiatric Association, into three groups differentiated according to their common characteristics.
On the one hand, group A of personality disorders have eccentricity in common, group B brings together people who are unstable, antisocial and narcissistic, and group C, which includes those who are fearful and anxious. Histrionic personality disorder is included in group B However, the latest update of this manual (the DSM-V) modifies this classification, maintaining only 6 personality disorders, leaving the rest as personality psychopathologies but not as disorders.
How to recognize a histronic? Symptoms of histrionic personality disorder
The symptoms of histrionic personality disorder They are, as we have highlighted, the requirement to attract attention from an egocentric and superior point of view that becomes superficial and manipulative. The histrionic personality is often fascinating in the eyes of others due to its grandiose and excessive behavior that usually falls into impulsiveness.
Furthermore, histrionic people exploit their most seductive side in all areas, so it is not difficult for them to surround themselves in large groups and be liked. They are extremely vain and excitable but in the same sense they tend to fall into bad moods and attacks of anger with great drama when not knowing how to manage frustration well In this sense, a histrionic personality is more likely to suffer depression
According to the DSM-IV, there are some basic criteria to diagnose this pathology based on principles that occur in different contexts. As stated in this manual, people with Histrionic personality disorder should comply five or more of the following traits :
Avoid situations and environments where you are not the center of attention. He does not feel comfortable not being one because of his great egocentrism.
It manifests a superficial and changing emotional exteriorization, it is very variable.
He has a subjective way of speaking, very focused on himself, and absent of nuances.
He shows constant self-dramatization, theatrical behavior and exaggerated expressiveness.
Uses sexually seductive or provocative behavior.
He benefits from his physical appearance to attract attention. He dislikes rejection.
He is suggestible and easily influenced by others or by circumstances.
He considers his relationships with other people to be more intimate and deeper than they really are.
Histrionic Personality: Examples
To understand how a histrionic person behaves It is important to recognize the behavior that is often associated with histrionics. Some examples of histrionic personality are the following.
Always wanting to be the center of attention
Faking illnesses to get attention
Seduce or flirt with others only with the intention of making everyone like you
Be very exaggerated when faced with your reactions, perhaps you become very happy or very sad when faced with an event
Causes of histronic personality disorder
The causes of histrionic personality disorder are not known although mental health experts speak of biological and genetic factors in the sense that it is more common to suffer from this disorder in the case of families with a history of similar pathologies. Likewise, some of the behavioral patterns common to PHD are hereditary, such as temperament or character, although patients can also be influenced by the family environment, the social and cultural context, and events that occurred in childhood. There are also voices that point to causes such as a low self-esteem or a form of education absent of rules and limits.
To receive the appropriate treatment for this disorder, go to a psychologist or psychiatrist who is an expert in these pathologies. If the person or family members perceive that their behavior does not conform to what is socially established or if there are problems developing in society with the rest, it is necessary to ask for professional help The mental health expert will listen to the patient, evaluate the symptoms or manifestations and determine whether a disorder really exists or not. If so, she will diagnose what type it is and provide the most appropriate treatment to control it.
As with many other personality disorders, the treatment for histrionic personality disorder that provides the best results is cognitive behavioral therapy This type of therapy acts on the patients’ thoughts and beliefs to modify your behavioral habits and your relationship with other people. Cognitive behavioral therapy for histrionic personality disorder aims to control impulses and anxiety and works to improve self-criticism and empathy as well as other skills. In some cases, it may be necessary to accompany psychotherapy with certain medications.
So, ultimately, for the Histrionic personality disorder or histrionic personality, it is necessary to identify the physical and behavioral symptoms for diagnosis and carry out the best treatment to achieve greater well-being and better social and environmental relationships.
How to deal with a person with a histronic personality disorder?
If you live with a person who suffers from histrionics , it is important to encourage this person to seek professional help. Without treatment, your symptoms and the impact a histronic personality has on your relationships are unlikely to improve. The only way to help someone with histrionic personality is precisely by trying to learn everything about histrionic personality disorder.
