From Hysteric Personality to Histrionic Personality Disorder
From Hysterical Personality to Histrionic Personality Disorder
Snezana Kordovan
Andrews University
“In a classroom, party, or at some other gathering, there is frequently one person who is seeming to bask in the glow of celebrity. Often this person is physically attractive, flirtatious, and given to provocative and seductive dress. His or her actions and mannerisms in the presence of others suggest a kind of emotional theatricality, almost a stage performance” (Friedland, 1991, pg. 44).
As Friedland illustrated in the paragraph above, there are individuals in our social circles who are charming, energetic and outgoing. With their ability to entertain they get everybody’s attention easily and one is typically impressed with the ease by which they express their thoughts and their feelings (Millon, 1985). Even though there are many positive things about being outgoing, friendly and charming, when these characteristics and theatrical behavior are carried out to the extreme a Histrionic Personality Disorder is most likely to be underlying the behavior (Friedland, 1991).
On January 20th, 2003 Time magazine announced that as much as 9% percent of the population is thought to suffer from some kind of personality disorder, and as many as 20% of all mental –health hospitalizations may be the result of such conditions (Song, 2003). In the same article, Song also compared common mental conditions, such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders and depression with personality disorders, saying that the latter cannot be treated easily through talk therapy or melted away with medications because they are marbleized through the entire temperament. Referring to narcissists and histrionics she pointed out that the problem starts with persuading most of them to see a therapist, and an even harder problem is when the patient denies the existence of the problem.
This paper will be an attempt to consolidate the most important information on Histrionic Personality
Snezana Kordovan
Andrews University
“In a classroom, party, or at some other gathering, there is frequently one person who is seeming to bask in the glow of celebrity. Often this person is physically attractive, flirtatious, and given to provocative and seductive dress. His or her actions and mannerisms in the presence of others suggest a kind of emotional theatricality, almost a stage performance” (Friedland, 1991, pg. 44).
As Friedland illustrated in the paragraph above, there are individuals in our social circles who are charming, energetic and outgoing. With their ability to entertain they get everybody’s attention easily and one is typically impressed with the ease by which they express their thoughts and their feelings (Millon, 1985). Even though there are many positive things about being outgoing, friendly and charming, when these characteristics and theatrical behavior are carried out to the extreme a Histrionic Personality Disorder is most likely to be underlying the behavior (Friedland, 1991).
On January 20th, 2003 Time magazine announced that as much as 9% percent of the population is thought to suffer from some kind of personality disorder, and as many as 20% of all mental –health hospitalizations may be the result of such conditions (Song, 2003). In the same article, Song also compared common mental conditions, such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders and depression with personality disorders, saying that the latter cannot be treated easily through talk therapy or melted away with medications because they are marbleized through the entire temperament. Referring to narcissists and histrionics she pointed out that the problem starts with persuading most of them to see a therapist, and an even harder problem is when the patient denies the existence of the problem.
This paper will be an attempt to consolidate the most important information on Histrionic Personality
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