What exactly is "histrionics personality disorder"?

Question

Is it a legitimate condition, and if so, how does it differ from narcissistic or borderline personality disorder?

Also, how does it differ from someone who is, say, simply selfish and immature and just needs to grow up? Why is it acceptable to excuse inappropriate behavior, and defend it as a "disorder"? At what point do you show compassion to someone who has an actual condition, or hold someone accountable for their selfish behavior?

Answer 1

Yes, it is a legitimate conditions and yes it differs from narcissistic and borderline personality disorder (although they are all in the dramatic/erratic cluster)

The criteria is: strong need to be centre of attention, inappropriate flirting/seduction, rapidly changing emotion, psychical appearance used to attract attention, speech excessively impressionistic, passionate but lacking in details, overly suggestible, misreads relationships as being more intimate than they actually are. It has a prevalence of about 2% in the general population.

It differs from someone who is selfish and needs to grow up by degree/extremity and pervasiveness of behaviour (to be a disorder it must be very extreme, interfere with social, academic and occupational functioning, distress the person or others). Much as a depression disorder is different to feeling depressed by degree and duration.

People should always be held accountable for their behaviour (without consequences, they will not be able to tell what is appropriate and what is not) but you may be more lenient about giving second chances or help, and more careful about relying on their word/them keeping secrets.