Symptoms of Histrionic Personality Disorder

Histrionic personality disorder is manifested through a number of symptoms which points towards the only desire of patient for being center of attention at any cost. Therefore its symptoms can ranges from over active behavior in order to seek attention to suicidal attempts in case of strong rejection or disapproval. Here all possible symptoms of histrionic personality disorder are discussed briefly so go through them to get considerable knowledge about this serious mental issue.     

1- Seeking to Becomes Center of Attention

The first and most obvious symptom of histrionic personality disorder is excessive interest or desire to become centre of attention. Though we see a lot of people in our society trying to become important or attractive through excessive attitude and over efficiency but this condition become more intense in the case of histrionic personality disorder. In such cases patient goes beyond normal behavioral bounds to achieve their goals in social, personal, professional or academic dealings. Such abnormality or exaggeration makes them susceptible for having some kind of hidden mental disturbance.       

2- Involvement in Risky Activities

A person suffering from histrionic personality disorder often shows interest in taking part in risky activities like gambling, race, rash car driving, jumping and hiking etc. the sole purpose all these risky efforts is none but to gain people’s attention and appreciation which provides them inner satisfaction and reduces the level of hidden depression. Sometimes it is not possible to identify these patients on the basis of their risky activities because in our society such persons are entitled as passionate or daring personality ready to do anything with no fear or hesitation at all. But if for some reason this attention seeking effort proves unfruitful and causes strong rejection or criticism from others then this unexpected situation becomes intolerable for them and their hidden abnormal personality aspect makes its appearance in the form of aggressive attitude or suicidal attempt.              

3- Empathy

Empathy or having no feelings for other’s pain or sorrow is another symptom found in the patient of histrionic personality disorder. The reason for such cold attitude towards other despite of having a very passionate and enthusiastic personality is a symptom of having some kind of disturbance or imbalance in inner self. Such behavior clarifies one thing that the person’ s sensitivity, feelings, passions, care and consciousness everything revolves around his own personality with no feeling or regard for other’s emotions, pains or desires which is a very important sign of having some serious psychological problem in his personality.             

4- Inability to Accept Realities

Histrionic personality disorder makes a person self-centered and selfish in his thinking and thoughts that he starts showing disdain towards life realities. Such person just wanted to get relaxed by fulfilling his inner desires through fair or unfair means therefore he loses the ability to accept and understand the actual reality and tries to impose his own will in any way.

5- Exaggerations and Dramatizations

Intense feeling for becoming important results in exaggerations and dramatization win which a patient of histrionic personality disorder shows excessiveness and overactive attitude on minor events or injuries. He does all this activity deliberately to get the attention of other persons. For example in they got a minor injury they tend to cry and showing painful condition just for making others caring for them. Such patients prolong the conditions of happiness or sorrow just to become centre of attention for longer time period.          

6- Idealization and Devaluation

Usually histrionic personality disorder involves extremism of strong attachments regarding everybody present in their personal relation circle but sometimes patient start liking someone so strongly that he develops a sense of idealization towards that person and in case of mild carelessness or lack of attention from that person makes them angry and aggressive in their behavior which leads towards total rejection of devaluation of same personality with which they were feeling too much attached few days before.       

7- Frequent Job Change

Histrionic personality disorder creates impulsivity in a suffering person and he becomes unable to get attached with anything or relation for longer time period. Same is the case with their professional matters in which such patient goes on changing his jobs after passing few weeks or months at every workplace.     

8- Poor Relationships     

Deep crakes developed in one’s personality due to suffering from histrionic personality disorder make him unable to become a good human being for his family and friends. Such patients tend to having clashes with family members or friends on minor issues. Particularly in marital issues these patients of histrionic personality disorder show incompatibility in all aspects. The rate of separations, affairs failures and divorce is very high in the cases of histrionic personality disorder.               

So if you find someone showing at least three or four above mentioned symptoms then it means that he must need proper diagnosis for identifying histrionic personality disorder and for devising the proper treatment strategy on the basis of severity of this disorder. If a person suffering from histrionic personality disorder left untreated then he could become a constant life threat not only for his own life but also for those persons to which he or she is emotionally attached because in case of rejection from such people a patient could cause harm to them in severe aggressive state of mind. Therefore such patient must be treated completely to reduce the constant life threat for his own life and for the lives of people living around him.