Histrionic personality disorder is characterized by excessive emotionality and attention seeking, which usually occurs in early adulthood, these people usually feel bad when they are not the center of attention, use their physical appearance to capture people’s attention, and are easily influential.
Treatment consists of psychotherapy sessions with the psychologist and, if the person also has anxiety or depression, a pharmacological treatment prescribed by the psychiatrist may be necessary.
- According to the DSM.
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
- The characteristic symptoms that may occur in a person with histrionic personality disorder are:.
Learn about other personality disorders
It is unclear what causes this personality disorder, but it is believed to be related to hereditary factors and childhood experiences.
Generally, people with this type of personality disorder think they don’t need treatment unless they develop depression, which can result from the impact of this disorder on relationships with others.
Psychotherapy is, in most cases, the first-line treatment for histrionic personality disorder and is about helping the person identify the motivations and fears that may be at the root of their behavior and how to manage them in a more positive way.
If this disorder is associated with anxiety or depression, medications may be necessary, which should be prescribed by a psychiatrist.