Dramatic Personality Disorders: Borderline, Histrionic, Antisocial, and Narcissistic

Individuals with these disorders have intense, unstable emotions, distorted self-perception, and/or behavioral impulsiveness.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Beginning in early adulthood, individuals with Histrionic Personality Disorder often display excessive emotionality and attention seeking in various contexts. They tend to overreact to other people, and are often perceived as shallow and self-centered. This pattern is suggested by five (or more) of the following (from DSM IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994):

 
   1.discomfort in situations in which he or she is not 
     the center of attention

   2.frequent, inappropriate, seductive or provocative 
     behavior in interpersonal interactions

   3.rapid shifts of emotions, and shallow expression 
    of emotions; emotions often appear to be "turned 
    on and off too quickly" to be deeply felt 

   4.consistent use of physical appearance to draw 
     attention to self

   5.excessively dramatic style of speech that lacks 
     detail; opinions are strongly presented, but 
     underlying reasons may be vague, without supporting 
     facts and details

   6.self-dramatic, theatrical, and exaggerated expression 
     of emotion

   7.easily influenced by others or circumstances (e.g., fads)

   8.views relationships as more intimate than they actually are





Antisocial Personality
Narcissistic Personality
Personality Disorders Main Page