[Hysteria I. Histrionic personality disorder. A psychotherapeutic challenge]

Abstract

What is left of Freud's hysteria in modern diagnostics is the histrionic personality. Psychological and somatic functional disorders, such as dissociative and somatoform disorders are freed from the label of being hysterical, but even the histrionic personality disorder does not enjoy professional agreement as far as diagnostics and therapy are concerned. This disorder is characterized by dramatization, suggestibility, superficial changing affects, impressionist cognitive style, preoccupation with outward appearance, seductive behavior and the wish to take centre stage, a compensatory attitude resulting from important childhood relationships. A comorbidity with narcissistic and antisocial personality exists and also with ADHS.