Histrionic Personality Disorder
A pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
- is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention
- interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior
- displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions
- consistently uses physical appearance to draw attention to self
- has a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail
- shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion
- is suggestible, i.e., easily influenced by others or circumstances
- considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are
- Depressed Mood
- Somatic or Sexual Dysfunction
- Anxious or Fearful or Dependent Personality
- Dramatic or Erratic or Antisocial Personality
Some disorders have similar or even the same symptom. The clinician, therefore, in his diagnostic attempt has to differentiate against the following disorders which he needs to rule out to establish a precise diagnosis.
- Borderline Personality Disorder;
- Antisocial Personality Disorder;
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder;
- Dependent Personality Disorder;
- Personality Change Due to a General Medical Condition;
- Symptoms that may develop in association with chronic substance use.