Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Suggestible & Easily Influenced

Suggestible & Easily Influenced I recognize suggestible and easily influenced as a pathological style of people pleasing to the point where I adopted another’s value to be accepted by them, as well as a way to retain their attention. While taking an Addictions Counselling Course back in 1999, the psychologist teaching Counselling Skills Levels I…

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Preoccupation With Appearance

Preoccupation With Appearance I believe I am at the lower end of this HPD symptom continuum because I have not nor will ever have any sort of plastic surgery or Botox to “improve” my appearance or chase after my youth. Why? Two words: Shania Twian. She does not even look like herself as a result…

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – A Compulsive Desire For Attention

A Compulsive Desire For Attention While growing up, I have select memories of being told by those around me that (as a result of my behaviour) I was looking for attention. As an adult, I still struggle with a compulsive desire for attention. I struggle to feel second to someone. I have this compulsive need…

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Sexually Provocative Behaviour

Sexually Provocative Behavior It was January, 1997. At 27 years old, I was going for it. I wanted to be a somebody in Halifax – in the up-and-coming explosion of film and television productions throughout Nova Scotia. As newly ordained and completely naive manager (and soon-to-be scapegoat for the restaurant’s failure) of Robert McKelvie’s Pastavino…

Living With Histrionic Personality Disorder – Manipulative Behaviour

HPD – Manipulative Behaviour I do not think of myself as a manipulative person, in the negative light manipulative behaviour can be defined. In context of HPD and manipulative behaviour – I would agree with the majority of information on the internet – how those with HPD so desperately want to be the centre of…

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

Books About HPD Are Scarce There seems to very few books published specifically about Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD). When I search on the internet for HPD books, the selection quickly transitions to personality disorders and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Hopefully, as I develop this series on what living with HPD is like, I can be…

Living With Borderline Personality Disorder – Coping With The Inner Critic

That Inner Critic Everyone has an Inner Critic. What does my Inner Critic say? She says things like: People are mad at you. People do not like you. I am in trouble. I have done something wrong. Other people are right and I am wrong – I must defer. I must defer to those who…

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

If I Could Go Back and Do My Life Over Again… Would I? I think most adults have either had this thought or been asked this question. Recently, while eating my morning snack in the staff room, a teacher asked me if I would go back and do my life over again. I started to…