What is histrionic personality disorder?

By Cristiano Antonino Last updated Jun 19, 2023

Histrionic Personality Disorder is characterized by excessive emotionality and a constant attention-seeking

Characteristics of the patient with Histrionic Personality Disorder

Individuals with histrionic personalities, in fact, feel uncomfortable when they are not the center of attention.

Perceiving the approval of others as their only lifeline, they feel a constant pressure to use their physical appearance to seek this attention.

As a result, they are overly concerned with being physically attractive, impressing others with their appearance, and spend an inordinate amount of time, energy, and money on clothing and personal grooming.

Often patients with histrionic personality disorder fear aging and physical degeneration, as it could make them lose the only tool they know to attract others to themselves.

The appearance and behavior of individuals with histrionic personality disorder are often provocative or overtly seductive, regardless of what is appropriate given the social context.

They subjectively perceive themselves as sociable and pleasant.

Indeed, they may initially captivate new acquaintances with their enthusiasm and openness.

When the relationship continues, however, these qualities tend to weaken, as these individuals are seen as overly demanding and in need of constant attention and reassurance.

In their attempts to gain the acceptance and approval of others, individuals with histrionic personalities may use indirect approaches such as manipulation, but they also resort to coercion or suicide threats if more subtle methods do not seem to be successful.

The emotions of the individual with histrionic personality disorder are intensely expressed and also seem exaggerated, lacking spontaneity, false; those who are close to them have the sensation of constantly attending a play.

They often respond to minor events with uncontrollable crying, anger, tantrums, or temper tantrums.

The exaggerated expression of emotion by such patients may lead others to accuse the individual of faking these feelings.

Individuals with histrionic personalities are inordinately in need of affection and attention, having often been deprived of it at an early age.

They live in constant fear of being abandoned and maintaining a relationship with them requires a lot of patience and willingness.

Histrionic personality disorder therapy is very difficult.

Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapeutic interventions in the medium to long term (from 1 to 2 years), which are in any case advisable, may have a certain effectiveness.

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