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

2018

• Mystic Order – Reiki Level 3A – 21 Day Cleanse – My Alcoholism Is Gone
• Spiritual Discipline – My Alcohol Addiction – My Story Now
• Personal Development – Still Alcohol Free

2019

• Is Too Much a Choice or Addiction?
• Personal Development – After 10 Months – This Wild Woman Is Drinking Again
• Personal Development – This Wild Woman Still Struggles With Alcohol
• Reiki Principle For Today – I Will Not Worry

2020

• One Year No Beer – 28-Day Alcohol Free Challenge
• Personal Development – A Wild Woman Redefined? Absolutely!
• Personal Development – Living Alcohol Free – Day 78

2021

• Personal Development – Year One Of Living An Alcohol Free Life

2023

• 5 Months Sober & The Shame of Calling Myself An Alcoholic

2024

• Celebrating Another First Year – This Time With Alcoholics Anonymous

2025

• Overthinking & The Joys Of Living My Twenty-Four Hour AA Program
• From Anxiety To Sobriety: My Life Journey From 52 – 56
• Am I Willing To Trust In God?
• The Distinct Languages of AA, DBT & CPT

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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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Hypersensitivity To Criticism 

While most people are perhaps sensitive to criticism, those with Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) are especially so because we work very hard for your attention.

It is the how I try to get your attention that can be problematic; therefore when criticized for it, it says you don’t want me anymore.

Wanting to be the centre of your attention and perhaps dressing provocatively to get it, then criticized for it adds to my already low sense of self-worth, feeling shameful and flawed.

Like Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), we’ve amped up our behaviours to get our needs met.

This also ties into our being easily influenced by others.

If I follow your lead to get your attention, then criticized for it, I cannot understand why.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

As I reflect back on my life, HPD started to develop in my late teens and twenties as I stepped out into the world.

Now, in my mid-fifties the intensity of this personality disorder has waned.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) has taught me to identify what my values are and the more I align my life to them, the more I build self-confidence in myself becoming less reactive to criticism.

Identifying my values is part of DBT’s Emotional Regulation.

Click on the below link to read DBT’s Values List:

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

Along with the many benefits of aging comes maturity and wisdom that lessons the stings of criticism from others.

I’ve learned criticism speaks more about the person, than the hurtful words they’ve said.

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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