Saturday, November 3, 2018

#Histrionic Personality Disorder

There are three kinds of people:those who are happy in their own selves and merge into the background even if surrounded by people,those who like company but can also do without it,and those who are happy only when they are the center of attention in any group or gathering.

The last,as you might have guessed,is the histrionic personality.Mostly it is women who fall in this category.All activities of a histrionic female are designed to attract attention and adulation.

She uses her physical appearance to achieve this end.She is always spic and span, immaculately dressed.Her speech is highly theatrical and emotionally charged.She is capable of paying false compliments and making never-to-be-kept promises in order to increase her fan-following.She professes lofty ideals to gain approval but ultimately turns out to be shallow and unreliable.

She is emotionally unstable,extremely self-centered and callous of others' emotions.She is quick to spot competition and will lose no time in undermining her rival or indulging in melodrama to grab eyeballs.In order to safeguard her reign she may even choose to hang out with those who pose no threat to her supremacy.

Her behavior is often inappropriately seductive and voluptuous.She is cheerful and charming,and it is easy to see why people are drawn to her.They are impressed by her charm and she believes she enjoys strong relationships.But when the veneer fades she loses her credibility.As people spot the real person underneath,they slowly distance themselves:making way for the next bunch of gullible souls. 

Dealing with a histrionic personality is very taxing.How long can you continue to feed someone's ego and overlook her lies and underhand ways?The best way is to recognize her tactics and save yourself from being walked over.Walk out if you can but if she is a family member,this too is not possible.All you can do is,avoid being manipulated by her and ignore the spurious stuff. 

It is not easy to be a shining star 24/7.Why does she do it?Maybe early abuse and neglect set her off on this road.Perhaps there is an inner insecurity and not enough confidence in her own worth.She finds it only through others' validation.It is quite pathetic actually.Her life is very glitzy on the outside but inside?Only she knows.

Experts tell us that this is a lifelong condition-it is not possible to cure it.But Talk Therapy can offer relief.An histrionic female may feel depressed but even then she is not likely to seek therapy unless a major life support crumbles.In extreme cases she may indulge in suicidal threats or behavior to grab attention.It is up to those who are close to her,to persuade her to seek psychotherapy.It can ease their predicament to some extent.

Do you know  any histrionic personality closely?Which other characteristics did you spot in her?And how do you deal with her?

"The exact cause of histrionic personality disorder is unknown. Scientists believe it is an outcome of both environmental and genetic factors."
https://www.healthline.com/health/histrionic-personality-disorder#causes

Image courtesy google search.

8 comments :

  1. Thank you for writing this post. This helps us understand personality traits. Unfortunately all of us have a mix of all three personalities discussed. Some show extreme manifestation others may be to a lesser degree. Yes it is difficult to deal with people with histrionic personality.

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    1. My pleasure Abhijit.It is very satisfying to learn that you liked my scribbles.
      Yes we are mostly an amalgam of different traits.The problem arises when one trait is abnormally dominant.

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  2. Hello Indu. Thanks for introducing me to a new term. I have known that women do like to express themselves well physically. Fewer men tend to do so. But I never knew it could reach the extent of a disorder.

    I know women who like to the centre of attention. There is one person who talks a lot, much of what she says is of no relevance to the context. There is another woman who likes to dress herself in bright colours, and her body language clearly shows that she is very self conscious as well. Now, I realise why these two behave the way they do.

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    1. Hello B Pradeep.You are right,fewer men are histrionic.In women we see all shades but when it becomes a glaring trait it sucks.
      I truly appreciate when you say that you found something of value in my posts,thanks a ton.

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  3. Very well written post exploring and detailing a psychological conundrum. Yes we do tend to meet such persons...but sometimes I think that the time will cure them.

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    1. Thank you Neeraj.Yes it is difficult to miss such personalities,but they don't improve with time.

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  4. There are different types of kids in this world and all of them combine to make this world a beautiful place. It's quite similar with adults too, as people come in different characters and personalities. All of them together make this world an interesting place to live in.

    Let's not forget that these traits were ingrained in them genetically, hence they may not always be responsible for what they do. Empathy, I think, is the key to dealing with any person. Believing that the other person is right or is helpless can go a long way in looking and taking things positively.

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Firstly,welcome to jeeteraho!
      You are right,empathy and the thought that they are probably helpless in behaving as they do is the key to dealing with them.But for their own sake they would be happier if they could climb out of that trough.

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