People with Histrionic personality disorder are usually seen as attention-seeking, have excessive emotionality and talk in a manner that is often taken as sexual or seductive.
This disorder makes people uncomfortable in situations where they are not the center of attention, have an impressionistic style, and consider relationships to be more intimate than they are.
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Diagnostic Criteria for Histrionic personality disorder
The major feature to diagnose Histrionic personality disorder is excessive emotionality and attention-seeking. While these features seem common in many people, it is only considered a disorder when other criteria are met and these features are inflexible and maladaptive in nature.
- Attention Seeking: Uncomfortable when they are not the center of attention. Often they make a good first impression on strangers but continually demand attention.
- Over Dramatic: When enough attention is not given, they may create make-up stories or create a scene.
- Sexually Provocative Behavior: This behavior is directed towards someone to whom the person is not sexually attracted too. Often in social or professional relationships, people with Histrionic personality disorder talk in a way that is considered to be seductive or sexual.
- Impressionistic speech: People with Histrionic personality disorder try to impress others by giving statements that lack detail. Like, saying that someone is good but unable to give any details to back their statement.
- A high degree of suggestibility: They tend to trust others easily, especially, any person with authority, and think that this person will solve all their problems. Their thoughts and actions can be easily suggested.
Risk Factors
- “Victim” or “Princess” – individuals with Histrionic personality disorder often can not male concrete intimate relationships. They are either victimized by making dependent on the partner or manipulate the partner with emotional blackmail.
- Because of their seductive speech, they have impaired relationships with same-sex friends.
- Long-term relationships are neglected to make new exciting relationships.
- Depression and anxiety when they are not given enough attention.
Word from PSYCHHELP
Many other personality disorders have common symptoms of attention-seeking and emotionality. In some cases, more than one disorder can also be diagnosed. However, care must be taken in diagnosing them.
| Histrionic Personality Disorder | Antisocial Personality Disorder |
| attention-seeking, seductive, impulsive, superficial, excitement-seeking. | attention-seeking, seductive, impulsive, superficial, excitement-seeking. |
| manipulate to gain nurturance | manipulate to gain profit, power |
| Histrionic Personality Disorder | Borderline personality disorder |
| attention-seeking, shifting emotions | attention-seeking, manipulative behavior, shifting emotions |
| No self-destruction in nature. | distinguished by aggressiveness, self-destructive nature in relationships, deep emptiness, and identity disturbances. |
| Histrionic Personality Disorder | Narcissistic personality disorder |
| dependent in getting attention | seek attention to seek praise for their superiority |