Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTraitsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Traits
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping
What Is a Personality Disorder?
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The main characteristic of people with HPD is that they often act in a very emotional and dramatic way that draws attention to themselves. It may be hard to recognize someone with this personality disorder because they are often high-functioning individuals who perform well at work and in school.
A person with HPD may:
Histrionic personality disorder may affect a person’s social or romantic relationships.A person with HPD may be unable to cope with losses or failures. They may change jobs often because of boredom and not being able to deal with frustration. They may also crave new things and excitement, which can lead to risky situations. All of these factors may lead to a higher chance of depression or suicidal thoughts.
What Are Personality Disorders?
The causes of HPD are unknown, but researchers believe it is the result of a number of factors, biological and environmental.
Histrionic personality disorder tends to run in families, suggesting that a genetic susceptibility for the disorder may be inherited.However, it is also possible for a child to learn behaviors characteristic of HPD from a parent with this disorder.
Adaptation to traumatic environments and parenting styles that lack boundaries or are overindulgent or inconsistent may predispose children to HPD.
According to the DSM-5, HPD is diagnosed if a person has five or more of the following:
If you or a loved one is struggling with histrionic personality disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.If you are having suicidal thoughts, dial988to contact the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineand connect with a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call911.
If you or a loved one is struggling with histrionic personality disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, dial988to contact the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineand connect with a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call911.
Histrionic personality disorder can be particularly difficult to treat because people with this personality disorder may experience it as ego-syntonic, meaning they tend to view these emotional patterns as normal.If you view your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as normal, and especially when you may alter reactions to gain acceptance from others, you will be less likely to accept there is a potential problem.
People with HPD tend to seek treatment when they have depression or anxiety from failed relationships or other conflicts with people.
Psychotherapy is the best treatment for the disorder, while medications may help with certain symptoms.
Supportive Psychotherapy
Supportive psychotherapy is an encouraging, reassuring, and non-threatening method of treating histrionic personality disorder.
Primary goals include:
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Also known as insight-oriented therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy serves to help HPD patients recognize underlying motivations for maladaptive behaviors and help them develop healthier ways of improving and sustaining self-esteem.
Other goals include:
Medications
While people with HPD should not rely on medication as their first line of treatment, they can ask their healthcare providers how certain medications—including antidepressants andanti-anxietymedications—can help reduce symptoms of depression andanxiety, which commonly co-occur with personality disorders.
Research has shown that incorporating mindfulness practice can help reduce symptoms common to those with histrionic personality disorder, including emotional reactivity and impulsivity.
Some mindfulness practices people with HPD can try include:
A Word From Verywell
One of the biggest hurdles of histrionic personality disorder is admitting you have a problem. While you may have developed certain coping mechanisms that have helped you survive, you can develop healthier ways of living and managing daily stresses as an adult.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Trofimova I.Understanding misunderstanding: a study of sex differences in meaning attribution.Psychol Res. 2013;77(6):748-60. doi:10.1007/s00426-012-0462-8National Institutes of Health.Histrionic personality disorder.Cleveland Clinic.Histrionic personality disorder.MedlinePlus.Histrionic personality disorder.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.xSng AA, Janca A.Mindfulness for personality disorders.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2016;29(1):70-76. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000213.xAmerican Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: a research-proven way to reduce stress.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Trofimova I.Understanding misunderstanding: a study of sex differences in meaning attribution.Psychol Res. 2013;77(6):748-60. doi:10.1007/s00426-012-0462-8National Institutes of Health.Histrionic personality disorder.Cleveland Clinic.Histrionic personality disorder.MedlinePlus.Histrionic personality disorder.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.xSng AA, Janca A.Mindfulness for personality disorders.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2016;29(1):70-76. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000213.xAmerican Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: a research-proven way to reduce stress.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Trofimova I.Understanding misunderstanding: a study of sex differences in meaning attribution.Psychol Res. 2013;77(6):748-60. doi:10.1007/s00426-012-0462-8National Institutes of Health.Histrionic personality disorder.Cleveland Clinic.Histrionic personality disorder.MedlinePlus.Histrionic personality disorder.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.xSng AA, Janca A.Mindfulness for personality disorders.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2016;29(1):70-76. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000213.xAmerican Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: a research-proven way to reduce stress.
Trofimova I.Understanding misunderstanding: a study of sex differences in meaning attribution.Psychol Res. 2013;77(6):748-60. doi:10.1007/s00426-012-0462-8
National Institutes of Health.Histrionic personality disorder.
Cleveland Clinic.Histrionic personality disorder.
MedlinePlus.Histrionic personality disorder.
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.x
Sng AA, Janca A.Mindfulness for personality disorders.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2016;29(1):70-76. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000213.x
American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: a research-proven way to reduce stress.
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