Introduction To My Blog Series: Living Successfully With Borderline Personality Disorder & Histrionic Personality Disorder

I was 27 years old when I entered into the realization that there was something wrong with me and one of the original diagnosis was Borderline Personality Disorder, BPD. 

I say something wrong with me because I was just not able to manage my life on my own and somehow knew there was something wrong with my mind.

Back then, not a lot was known about this horribly stigmatized disorder because BPD patients were considered impossible to treat or wrongly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. 

Along with BPD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS) were also added to my diagnostic mix.

ADHD was quickly debunked and over the past two decades most professionals leaned towards my having PTSD or a Dissociative Disorder – but something about these disorders never seemed to fit.

Add menopause to the mix and the confusion became even more confusing.

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Anxiety

Here are past blogs I’ve written about my struggles with anxiety and what felt like PTSD or DDNOS:

• Managing Anxiety -The Space of No Mind
• Managing Anxiety and the Mind of Choice
• Anxiety – The Antithesis of Personal Connection
• Anxiety & Cannabidiol (CBD) & Exercise
• Trauma, Flashbacks and Dissociative Disorders
• AM I: In a Panic Attack or Trauma Response or Dissociation or Menopause? How Do I Tell The Difference?

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My Struggles With Alcoholism

• Mystic Order – Reiki Level IIIA – 21 Day Cleanse – A Miracle Has Happened
• Spiritual Discipline – My Alcohol Addiction – My Story Now
• Personal Development – Cutting the Ties That Bind – Saying Goodbye to Alcohol
• Is Too Much a Choice or Addiction?
• Personal Development – A Wild Woman’s Journey With Drinking and Hedonism While Walking the Spiritual Path
• Personal Development – A Wild Woman’s Slow Transformation Towards Her Best Self
• Reiki Principle For Today – I Will Not Worry
• OYNB – One Year No Beer – This Wild Woman’s Successful Journey of the 28 Day Challenge and Beyond!
• Personal Development – A Wild Woman Walking the Spiritual Path – A Wild Woman Redefined? Absolutely!
• Personal Development – Living Alcohol Free – Musings During Day 78
• Reiki Principle For Today – I Will Do My Work Honestly
• Personal Development – Living An Alcohol Free Life – Year One
• Another Layer
• 365 Days of Sobriety: My Journey and Triggers
• I’m No Longer Ashamed Of Being An Alcoholic
• A Bountiful Bevy Of Sagacious Skills
• A Life Of Sobriety Allows Me Deeper Connection With Family & Friends
• From Domes To Sunflowers – Dogs & Sobriety – While Becoming A Better Self
• The Man Who Reminds Me I Cannot Have Just One Drink
• This Joyful Alcoholic Has Lost Interest In Bar Hopping & Any Type Of Partying
• The Consequences Of Drinking And Driving
• My Favourite People To Be Around
• Proper Mental Health Diagnoses. Feeling Safe. Accepting I Am An Alcoholic.
• Overthinking & The Joys Of Living My Twenty-Four Hour AA Program
• Accepting I Am An Alcoholic
• From Anxiety To Sobriety: My Life Journey From 52 – 56

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Present Day

On February 9th, 2022, I had a thorough psychological assessment by a seasoned psychiatrist. At long last, at 52 years old, I was finally properly diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and Histrionic Personality Disorder.

This blog series called Owning and Unraveling Borderline Personality Disorder & Histrionic Personality Disorder is my way of processing and understanding these complex personality disorders and how they manifest, interfere with and enhance my life.

Perhaps, as it has been said to me from friends who have family members with Borderline Personality Disorder, I can help dispel misconceptions and stigmas associated with these mental illnesses.

And hopefully I can shed some light and more personal information on what living with Histrionic Personality Disorder is like as I review each symptom and diagnostic criteria and how they show up (past or present) in my life.

With hope,

Stephanie, 🩵🌻

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DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria For Histrionic Personality Disorder

According to Theravive :

DSM-5 Category: Personality Disorder

Diagnosis Criteria For: Histrionic Personality Disorder Symptoms:

Symptoms of Histrionic Personality Disorder include the following: 

• Shallow, changeable emotions
• Assumed intimacy with others
• Hypersensitivity to criticism 
• Manipulative behavior
• Disproportionate emotional reactions
• Sexually provocative behavior
• A compulsive desire for attention
• Preoccupation with appearance
• Suggestible and easily influenced

Diagnosis Criteria For: Histrionic Personality Disorder:

In order to make a diagnosis of histrionic personality disorder, a psychological examination is necessary, along with a general evaluation of the patient’s behavior and overall appearance. 

There is no set test to determine whether someone has histrionic personality disorder. Previously, a number of pointers were specified in an earlier edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in order to help clinicians make a diagnosis3).

At least five of the following traits needed to be recorded for a diagnosis to be indicated:

• A compulsion to be the center of attention that results in discomfort if unmet
• Inappropriate sexual, seductive or provocative behavior when interacting with others
• Shallow, rapidly shifting emotions
• The use of physical appearance to draw others’ attention
• Dramatic, impressionistic speech that lacks detail
• Exaggerated, theatrical emotional expression 
• Easily influenced by others or situations
• Assumes relationships are more intimate than they are

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Shallow, Changeable Emotions

What does it mean to have shallow, changeable emotions?

Basically, it is to be quick to anger or tears, but not a lot of complex emotions underneath.

The emotions seem immature and superficial.

I know how this feels.

Describing it is the challenge.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a flooding of a strong emotion that takes over my entire body, usually fear or anger, that debilitates me from functioning.

This Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) symptom of shallow, changeable emotions feel fake, as if I somehow called upon an emotion to emphasize a point – such as – insincere tears, crying that appears and disappears quickly.

Like an actor on stage, crying on demand.

The thing is is all I want you to do is hear me.

Believe in me.

See me.

So, if I put on a good enough show, seem desperate enough, maybe you’ll listen.

I haven’t felt this symptom as much as I once did, and this symptom wasn’t a real go-to for me.

Strangely enough, it showed up more in therapy than any place else. It was as if I was truly trying to get the therapist to see how desperate I was. Then once the real work started, the BPD emotions would flood me.

Note – there is validity in these shallow emotions, but their use does not match the reason for having them.

As well, using shallow, changeable emotions is a form of emotional manipulation, a tactic on another person to get what I want. For me, I wanted to be heard.

In hindsight, I didn’t realize I was doing this.

Perhaps that is why I am sometimes good at spotting emotional manipulation in another because I have some experience using it.

S, 🌻

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Quick Links To The Blogs In This Series Living Successfully With BPD & HPD:

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Borderline Personality Disorder

Forget Everything I’ve Said – I’ve Borderline Personality Disorder & Histrionic Personality Disorder

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Introduction to Symptoms & Causes

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder & Histrionic Personality Disorder – Rambling Through Confusion Towards Clarity

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Bits On Biosocial Theory & Learning To Ride Out Intense Emotions Rather Than Focusing On Why I Am Having Them

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Strong Opinions & Identity Crisis

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Not PTSD – It’s Emotions – Borderline Style

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Empathic Abilities & Intentional Interventions

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Overlapping Symptoms & What Type Of & How BPD Am I?

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – DBT’s Mindful Breathing & Participating With Awareness – Grounding Words

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder & Histrionic Personality Disorder – The Stigma & Social Pariah Of Personality Disorders

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Is This Effective & Willing Hands Half Smile & The Middle Path

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Starting EMDR – Creating New Pathways To Calm

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – The Pros and Cons of Medical THC & CBD

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder & HistrionicPersonality Disorder – Amber Heard VS Johnny Depp

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Gratitude For A Wild & Crazy Life

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Anxious – Ambivalent (Preoccupied) Attachment Style & Fear of Abandonment

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Behind My Mona Lisa Smile – What BPD Feels Like For Me

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – The Hulk Uses Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – DBT Skills Need Time & Everyday Practice To Become A Part Of Me

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Coping With The Inner Critic

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Unstable & Fragile Identities

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Highlights Of DBT’s Mindfulness & Distress Tolerance Skills

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Highlights Of DBT’s Emotional Regulation Skills

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – My Ability To Self-Validate Grows When I Live In Alignment With My Values

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Highlights Of DBT’s Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills

Living With Borderline Personally Disorder – DBT – Skills Thermometer – A DBT Skills Anchor Chart

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Histrionic Personality Disorder

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Introduction & Symptoms & Diagnostic Criteria

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Shallow, Changeable Emotions

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Assumed Intimacy With Others

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Hypersensitivity To Criticism 

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Manipulative Behaviour

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Sexually Provocative Behaviour

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – A Compulsive Desire For Attention

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Preoccupation With Appearance

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Suggestible & Easily Influenced

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© Stephanie Wells – Joyful Stephanie – Living an Authentic Life – 2014-2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

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