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People suffering from this disorder - mostly women - resemble extreme narcissists in their attention seeking behaviors and in their marked discomfort when not at the center of attention. Yet, unlike narcissists, histrionics are empathic, sentimental, and overly emotional. Actually, by being sexually seductive and provocative, the histrionic leverages this excess emotionality to gain the attention she craves. People often find this unabashed directness and undisguised hunger embarrassing, annoying, or outright repulsive.
As the histrionic depletes one source of narcissistic supply after another, she glides from one relationship to the next, experiencing a range of shallow feelings and commitments in the process. This shallowness is reflected in the histrionic's speech which is impressionistic, disjointed, and generalized. Concerned only with the latest conquest, the histrionic uses her physical appearance and attire as a kind of conscious bait. It is ironic that histrionics often mistake the depth, durability, and intimacy of their relationships and are devastated by their inevitable premature termination.
Histrionics are the quintessential drama queens. They are theatrical, their emotions exaggerated to the point of a caricature, their gestures sweeping, disproportional, and inappropriate. The histrionic is easily suggestible and responds instantly and fully to the slightest change in circumstances and to the most meaningless communication or behavior by others.
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