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How to Spot a Histrionic Personality
Based on former FBI Special Agent Joe Navarro’s experience as a criminal profiler and behavior specialist, this short booklet/checklist - "How To Spot A Histrionic" - provides the average person with the tools necessary for spotting and assessing Histrionic personalities.
This is a must read for anyone who wants to protect themselves, their children, or their loved ones. The short booklet offers practical guidance and a comprehensive checklist of the 150 behaviors/features (often shocking) that are associated with Histrionics. It is easy to use, intended for the average layperson. You don’t have to be a clinician to use this.
The booklet/checklist will not only give you insight into this personality disorder, which afflicts more than 6 million Americans, but it will also give you the tools to quickly assess these individuals so that you can protect yourself and your family. This is a disorder that afflicts the Histrionic but has adverse consequences on spouses, friends, family and co-workers, but more importantly children.
Practical, fast, easy to read and understand. If you ever wondered what the Histrionic personality was all about and the harm they can cause, then this is for you.
This is a must read for anyone who wants to protect themselves, their children, or their loved ones. The short booklet offers practical guidance and a comprehensive checklist of the 150 behaviors/features (often shocking) that are associated with Histrionics. It is easy to use, intended for the average layperson. You don’t have to be a clinician to use this.
The booklet/checklist will not only give you insight into this personality disorder, which afflicts more than 6 million Americans, but it will also give you the tools to quickly assess these individuals so that you can protect yourself and your family. This is a disorder that afflicts the Histrionic but has adverse consequences on spouses, friends, family and co-workers, but more importantly children.
Practical, fast, easy to read and understand. If you ever wondered what the Histrionic personality was all about and the harm they can cause, then this is for you.
- GenresPsychologyNonfiction
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2011
16 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Joe Navarro
59 books929 followersJoe Navarro is an author, public speaker and ex-FBI agent. Navarro specializes in the area of nonverbal communication or body language and has authored numerous books.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 25, 2022
Pretty good.
There are so few books about this disorder, it's nice to find anything.
I should say that the author feels a little bit affected by a pat relationship with a person of this disorder. I can't help but sense a touch of resentment in the message. I say this as a person who was married to a pwHPD for 25 years.
I don't resent my ex-wife. She can't help it. I wish my children were spared her histrionics. Primarily the damage comes from the inability to provide care and support to children because in times of crisis, death, birthdays, Xmas, family crisis, all of the attention is demanded by them and the children become a footnote. Unless people are watching, then children are showered with attention, but it's not for them, it's for her.
I know a lot about cluster B personality disorders. I think fear of abandonment is more a problem for BPD, possibly because a pwHPD has such a massive cache of 'best friends' that they are rarely without 'backup'.
People with histories and relationships with people with personality disorders often focus on lies and manipulation. I think this is resentment based. People with personality disorders are rarely aware of their "manipulation." They are just doing life as they do it. It's nowhere near as dastardly and conniving as it comes across in books written by ex's. They don't know they are doing it. People who are histrionic don't play that many moves ahead in their chess games. They make one move at a time and then evaluate where they are.
It's sad. It should not be resented, tho I understand that is hard to do.
PwPDs are usually with people with PDs. Neurotypical people don't have long term relationships with cluster B people. Always keep that in mind when you are reading a book about narcissistic ex trauma. What type of a person is so damaged and angry and resentful after a relationship with a person, that they actually go so far as to write a book about it? Usually that's a (quiet) borderline person; could be NPD, but rarely would they want to publicly admit it. A song maybe? A poem? Sure. Just saying.
That said, I'll add one thing to his list:
Person is sick in the hospital so they buy them 100 helium balloons. They're not for the person in the hospital, they are so everyone can see how caring they are.
There are so few books about this disorder, it's nice to find anything.
I should say that the author feels a little bit affected by a pat relationship with a person of this disorder. I can't help but sense a touch of resentment in the message. I say this as a person who was married to a pwHPD for 25 years.
I don't resent my ex-wife. She can't help it. I wish my children were spared her histrionics. Primarily the damage comes from the inability to provide care and support to children because in times of crisis, death, birthdays, Xmas, family crisis, all of the attention is demanded by them and the children become a footnote. Unless people are watching, then children are showered with attention, but it's not for them, it's for her.
I know a lot about cluster B personality disorders. I think fear of abandonment is more a problem for BPD, possibly because a pwHPD has such a massive cache of 'best friends' that they are rarely without 'backup'.
People with histories and relationships with people with personality disorders often focus on lies and manipulation. I think this is resentment based. People with personality disorders are rarely aware of their "manipulation." They are just doing life as they do it. It's nowhere near as dastardly and conniving as it comes across in books written by ex's. They don't know they are doing it. People who are histrionic don't play that many moves ahead in their chess games. They make one move at a time and then evaluate where they are.
It's sad. It should not be resented, tho I understand that is hard to do.
PwPDs are usually with people with PDs. Neurotypical people don't have long term relationships with cluster B people. Always keep that in mind when you are reading a book about narcissistic ex trauma. What type of a person is so damaged and angry and resentful after a relationship with a person, that they actually go so far as to write a book about it? Usually that's a (quiet) borderline person; could be NPD, but rarely would they want to publicly admit it. A song maybe? A poem? Sure. Just saying.
That said, I'll add one thing to his list:
Person is sick in the hospital so they buy them 100 helium balloons. They're not for the person in the hospital, they are so everyone can see how caring they are.
May 1, 2022
A fairly-helpful resource and quick read that discusses histrionic personality types, and also touches briefly on the overlap between histrionic and borderline personality disorders. I thought this was going to be a longer book, but I read through it in an hour or two. It includes DSM-IV criteria, as well as Joe Navarro’s own personal checklist as a guide for identifying and avoiding histrionic personality types/traits. He formulated this during his time working with the FBI as a profiler. It is intriguing, insightful, and fairly illuminating. I felt that this shed light on some very toxic, destructive and ego-centric friends and acquaintances I’ve had. A sentence that I found healing and validating, that helped me take a deeper breath or two, was this: “I should note that I do believe we are all due respect and dignity; however, I also believe we have no social obligation to be exploited, played with, lied to, manipulated, traumatized, or victimized and that is what a Histrionic personality does so well to others.” He explains that these personality types are inherently destructive and it is best to avoid them. I agree, from personal experience, as well as seeing the traits outlined here, and reading more about how they react to—and view—others. The manipulation and self-serving behavior is crazy-making and harmful; this book will emphasize that this is not a type of person you want in your life. It explains a bit about their reactivity and how they will lash out, lie, and intentionally harm you to get ahead, or to hurt you, if they perceive any accidental action, delayed response, or human flaw as a slight against them. Similar to a narcissist, they will target you, use you, plot against you, and seek to be adored and centered always. I felt better after reading his book and understanding the depth of rage, self-centeredness, manipulation and toxicity within—and driving—histrionic ex-friends and acquaintances. It helped me come to terms slightly with some of the harm and planned deception/sabotage they inflicted, which causes me pain and suffering to this day. I am very grateful for the increased understanding and the opportunity to find some peace after the chaos inflicted.
I do have a couple of minor critiques or considerations:
1. There are several errors (extra words or misplaced punctuation); An edit would make it a bit better in that regard, but it didn’t bother me much. The writer has a great vocabulary, and is clearly intelligent and insightful. I recommend you overlook those in favor of this helpful and quick read.
2. Some of the items on the checklist, while undoubtedly seen in those with personality disorders, are also seen in people without them, and completely separate from them; i.e.: Low self-worth and insecurity, multiple bouts of depression. Be cautious when evaluating someone you know against some of the vaguer/common traits on the checklist like those; Some people are abuse victims or suffer from depression, and yes, they can have personality disorders, too, but I wonder if sometimes those traits should not be counted while tallying up the numbers. Abuse victims who have been systematically harmed (in fact, BY those with histrionic traits, for example!) can feel emotionally empty, desire praise, have trouble with self-esteem, etcetera; However, those with personality disorders combine *those* traits with a lack of consideration for others, volatility, manipulation, objectification of others, etcetera. I find the abandonment anxiety/insecurity traits, when weighed against the manipulative traits, to require careful consideration, and respect for nuanced analysis. A manipulative personality, though, if they have harmed you, should be pretty obvious. While manipulative traits can be veiled under depression or charm in the beginning, that personality type should be quite clear after outbursts, sabotage and conflicts; It is not the same as the personality type or perceptions of someone with depression, abandonment traumas, or confidence challenges. I wouldn’t want a manipulative or abusive person to come across the checklist and label their depressed or insecure victims as having a personality disorder because of the checklist, for example. It could possibly be problematic, in that way, but I think the benefits of the checklist largely outweigh the risks.
3. Another consideration is that Joe Navarro is considered an expert on body language and human behavior, down to very minute microexpressions and idiosyncracies. As I mentioned above, Joe worked with the FBI for a very long time doing behavior profiling. I can’t imagine he would have been hired for such a job without valid and extensive credentials. His biographies online explain that he has also done many lectures. However, I can’t find anything about his education or training anywhere outside of the experience he has profiling with the FBI. I am very much in favor of using good sources for information and scientific analysis; I think it is paramount! He seems to really know his stuff. However, I can’t really verify at this point where he learned about profiling or body language. I would love to know so I can wholeheartedly recommend him as an expert source (if anyone knows his training, please message me!). He does share references at the end of the book, though, so that supports his claims. I wish he would share his education or training outside of the FBI job on his biography so readers could judge, with more transparency, the quality of his training. Is it just something he learned from working with the police? If so, where are they getting their information? How much is definitively based on verified research? Did he do a program in college on forensic psychology and profiling, or was he told by fellow officers over the years what they had observed anecdotally?
However, as I’ve said many times, he seems to really know his stuff and be very insightful and clarifying; his explanations check out when compared to people who seem to have histrionic traits—very much so. From a science perspective, though, the quality of a source is everything, and while it can be very helpful to read about these traits so you can try and gauge whether someone might have them (and be harmful, therefore), it can also be dangerous for people to look at these lists and potentially label people with conditions they might not have. These are people you want to avoid, but it’s also important to remember that those with personality disorders have a mental health condition. It’s not to be taken lightly or determined lightly. I think, though, even if the people of concern in your life don’t have the condition for certain, or haven’t been diagnosed officially, it is still very beneficial to understand and recognize toxic traits and character types coming from a mile away, and to steer clear.
I recommend this read, especially for anyone who has interacted with, or been close to, very difficult or intentionally-destructive people! It will help. Thank you, Joe!
I do have a couple of minor critiques or considerations:
1. There are several errors (extra words or misplaced punctuation); An edit would make it a bit better in that regard, but it didn’t bother me much. The writer has a great vocabulary, and is clearly intelligent and insightful. I recommend you overlook those in favor of this helpful and quick read.
2. Some of the items on the checklist, while undoubtedly seen in those with personality disorders, are also seen in people without them, and completely separate from them; i.e.: Low self-worth and insecurity, multiple bouts of depression. Be cautious when evaluating someone you know against some of the vaguer/common traits on the checklist like those; Some people are abuse victims or suffer from depression, and yes, they can have personality disorders, too, but I wonder if sometimes those traits should not be counted while tallying up the numbers. Abuse victims who have been systematically harmed (in fact, BY those with histrionic traits, for example!) can feel emotionally empty, desire praise, have trouble with self-esteem, etcetera; However, those with personality disorders combine *those* traits with a lack of consideration for others, volatility, manipulation, objectification of others, etcetera. I find the abandonment anxiety/insecurity traits, when weighed against the manipulative traits, to require careful consideration, and respect for nuanced analysis. A manipulative personality, though, if they have harmed you, should be pretty obvious. While manipulative traits can be veiled under depression or charm in the beginning, that personality type should be quite clear after outbursts, sabotage and conflicts; It is not the same as the personality type or perceptions of someone with depression, abandonment traumas, or confidence challenges. I wouldn’t want a manipulative or abusive person to come across the checklist and label their depressed or insecure victims as having a personality disorder because of the checklist, for example. It could possibly be problematic, in that way, but I think the benefits of the checklist largely outweigh the risks.
3. Another consideration is that Joe Navarro is considered an expert on body language and human behavior, down to very minute microexpressions and idiosyncracies. As I mentioned above, Joe worked with the FBI for a very long time doing behavior profiling. I can’t imagine he would have been hired for such a job without valid and extensive credentials. His biographies online explain that he has also done many lectures. However, I can’t find anything about his education or training anywhere outside of the experience he has profiling with the FBI. I am very much in favor of using good sources for information and scientific analysis; I think it is paramount! He seems to really know his stuff. However, I can’t really verify at this point where he learned about profiling or body language. I would love to know so I can wholeheartedly recommend him as an expert source (if anyone knows his training, please message me!). He does share references at the end of the book, though, so that supports his claims. I wish he would share his education or training outside of the FBI job on his biography so readers could judge, with more transparency, the quality of his training. Is it just something he learned from working with the police? If so, where are they getting their information? How much is definitively based on verified research? Did he do a program in college on forensic psychology and profiling, or was he told by fellow officers over the years what they had observed anecdotally?
However, as I’ve said many times, he seems to really know his stuff and be very insightful and clarifying; his explanations check out when compared to people who seem to have histrionic traits—very much so. From a science perspective, though, the quality of a source is everything, and while it can be very helpful to read about these traits so you can try and gauge whether someone might have them (and be harmful, therefore), it can also be dangerous for people to look at these lists and potentially label people with conditions they might not have. These are people you want to avoid, but it’s also important to remember that those with personality disorders have a mental health condition. It’s not to be taken lightly or determined lightly. I think, though, even if the people of concern in your life don’t have the condition for certain, or haven’t been diagnosed officially, it is still very beneficial to understand and recognize toxic traits and character types coming from a mile away, and to steer clear.
I recommend this read, especially for anyone who has interacted with, or been close to, very difficult or intentionally-destructive people! It will help. Thank you, Joe!
May 4, 2025
We all know several people who would fit this description - in this age of reality TV, selfies, Tiktok and OnlyFans, it's virtually impossible to avoid them.
Most histrionics are just needy and pathetic and are probably harmless - as long as you don't interact with them. This book is a stark warning that it's best to avoid them. It's short and written to appeal to a broad range of people. I just think it could be a little bit less repetitive.
Most histrionics are just needy and pathetic and are probably harmless - as long as you don't interact with them. This book is a stark warning that it's best to avoid them. It's short and written to appeal to a broad range of people. I just think it could be a little bit less repetitive.
August 8, 2021
Good read
Very informative. I learned the.most about this disorder from this book. Highly recommend for those that need clarification. Enjoyed the book!
Very informative. I learned the.most about this disorder from this book. Highly recommend for those that need clarification. Enjoyed the book!
July 22, 2013
This was really helpful in showing me how prevalent the condition is and how easy to spot it really is.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews