Histrionic personality disorder is a mental illness where you are overtly dramatic, colourful and extroverted, excitable and emotional. The behaviour of the histrionic person is often seductive and charming. You will often have problems with maintaining long-term relationships. About two to three percent of the population suffer from it, and it affects women slightly more than men. Most people with histrionic personality disorder also suffer from another mental health condition.
This behaviour is because you require constant affection, love and admiration. Superficially speaking, you might appear to be what society considers acceptable: well liked, successful, popular, extroverted, attractive and sociable. However, somebody with histrionic personality disorder takes this behaviour to a pathological level. You would have an all-consuming desire for approval. If a histrionic person fails to get the attention and love they desire, they will fall into depression or anxiety.
There may be problems in relationships with friends of the same sex, as a histrionic person’s sexually provocative personality style may seem a threat to the relationships of friends. They might also alienate friends with their need for constant attention.
Histrionic personality disorder may have run in families, as close relatives are likely to have the same disorder. It also appears that the histrionic person did not have a good early relationship with their parents, receiving little positive or negative reinforcement. Parental acceptance and approval was also likely to have been inconsistent.
