I've noticed that we have all kinds of posters on these forums. And we think we know each other. Sometimes we're guilty of saying someone is "crazy" or mentally ill. Or at least, of thinking that. And there are different kinds of mental illness. But, apparently, we're right some of the time. This is one type of mental illness that I think we have all seen (or are seeing).
Neurotic Solution: Histrionic Type
The strategy of the Histrionic solution can be interpreted from the discussion by John M.Oldham and Lois B. Morris of the Dramatic personality style.
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Dramatic Personality Type
Self-Effacing Solution
Neurotic Needs
Compulsive Attachments
Compulsive Aversions
* attention
* expressiveness
* emotionalism
* romanticism
* impressing others
* captivating others
* glamor
* amusement
* affection
* alliances
* an audience
* appreciation
* being entertaining
* admiration
* feelings
* dramatics
* demonstrativeness
* being ignored
* being unattractive
* being unlovable
* being uninteresting
* being abandoned
* being helpless
* frustration
* not getting their own way
* not getting compliance from others
* being treated unfairly
Neurotic Solution
American Psychiatric Association (1994, pp. 657-58)
Excessive emotionality and attention seeking.
* is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention;
* interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior;
* displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions;
* consistently uses physical appearance to draw attention to self;
* has a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail;
* shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion;
* is suggestible, i.e., easily influenced by others or circumstances;
* considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are.
Neurotic Beliefs and Attitudes
Rationalizations and reinforcements of the compulsive attachments and aversions and the neurotic solution that they engender.
Aaron T. Beck, Arthur M. Freeman and associates (pg. 362)
* I am an interesting, exciting person.
* In order to be happy I need other people to pay attention to me.
* Unless I entertain or impress people, I am nothing.
* If I don't keep others engaged with me, they won't like me.
* The way to get what I want is to dazzle or amuse people.
* If people don't respond very positively to me, they are rotten.
* It is awful for people to ignore me.
* I should be the center of attention.
* I don't have to bother to think things through�I can go by my "gut" feeling.
* If I entertain people, they will not notice my weaknesses.
* I cannot tolerate boredom.
* If I feel like doing something, I should go ahead and do it.
* People will pay attention only if I act in extreme ways.
* Feelings and intuition are much more important that rational thinking and planning (362).
Sound familiar to anyone?
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