The histrionic disorder of the personality has a prevalence of approximately 2-3% in the population. It’s more common in women. Formerly it was called hysterical personality (of histeros, uterus). Currently the name comes from histrion (theater actor, mask).
In the classification of personality disorders we can find it in group B. This group includes people who are excessively extroverted, unstable, emotional and impulsive. Some people also describe them as dramatic or theatrical.
Brief clarification about personality disorders
Personality disorders are alterations or limitations in the way of being that diminish the capacity of adaptation of the individual. They make it more prone to suffer other psychiatric disorders (such as anxiety, depression, also drug addiction…).
However, a normal personality always has traits or limitations without this being a personality disorder. This will be discussed only when the limitations are deep, rigid, uncontrollable and negatively affect the individual’s life.
Sometimes personality disorders are not very evident. In this way, when stressful events (positive or negative) occur, these fragilities give the face.
The histrionic personality disorder within group B
As already said, the B group of personality disorders are characterized by:
- Extroversion
- Emotional instability
- Impulsiveness
Extroversion is related to a predominance of the sympathetic nervous system ( SNS ) over the parasympathetic nervous system (SNP). Generally they also achieve good results in eye tracking and slow auditory tests.
This means that they have a good capacity for attention and concentration. In this way, they get well tuned to the external world.
Impulsivity, on the other hand, is defined as a decrease in the response threshold to stimuli. This means that no matter how little the stimulus is, they will react without being able to avoid it. Clinically, impulsivity manifests as irritability, behavioral disinhibition and aggressiveness.
Affective instability, finally, is defined as an intense and disproportionate affective response to all types of stimuli (positive or negative). They are very sensitive, everything affects them a lot. In fact, they spend a lot of energy controlling their emotional response.
This requires a very great psycho-organic and vital wear. That is why in individuals with emotional lability there is a higher prevalence of depression. They also frequently show aggressiveness.
Histrionic personality disorder
We will analyze the histrionic disorder of personality according to several aspects. First, we will focus on the inner life of the individual. Then we will move on to your relationship with others. And finally we will explain some comorbidities.
Interior life
Connects well with the environment, is social and likes social life,
is gregarious. Follow the prevailing trends and fashions without questioning them. It turns towards the outside world to the detriment of the interior. Thus, your inner life is poor. It is superficial, unreflective, it just feels empty and bored.
That depends excessively on the environment, on being the center of attention and praises. It is suggestible, impressionable, capricious. Everything is exhausted due to poor tolerance to stress, bored of everything and everyone. Constantly needs new emotions. Also new people who entertain you, who give you attention and affection.
Attitude towards others
He pretends to be friend of the whole world
than he really is; flatters others He uses seduction and manipulation in both behavior and appearance. It uses a theatrical language, exaggerated and imprecise. With this he seeks to be the center of attention. You will have more or less success depending on your intelligence, attractiveness and other attributes.
It’s like that most of the time, it’s not about seducing someone in particular. He wants continuous and immediate applause. If you do not have them, hyperreact. He experiences outbursts of anger and bad temper, has a tendency to mount numbers. You will feel especially bad old age and loss of status.
Attitude of others towards the histrionic person
At first they are nice and they fall well
. But then people end up getting tired of their excessive demands. Also that they are unreliable, selfish, arbitrary, controlling and without tolerance to frustrations. The histrionic person experiences real difficulties in establishing serious and respectful intimate relationships.
Comorbidities
They are prone to develop anxiety and depression pictures.
They also have a tendency to alcoholism. They often experience somatization and insomnia, as well as disorders of the sexual sphere.
It may be that all these characteristics are presented in an extreme way. In this case, the histrionic personality disorder becomes borderline personality disorder.