Amber Heard and Johnny Deep, who were in the midst of a weeks-long defamation trial, also contributed the latest facts about mental disorders. Yep! Amber Heard was diagnosed with histrionic personality disorder. According to Amber’s psychologist, Amber Heard suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder due to Johnny Depp’s alleged abuse.
It is known that histrionic personality disorder is an official diagnosis in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. However, some psychologists reveal that it is outdated, sexist, and stigmatizing.
Chronology of the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp Cases
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s relationship was initially fine as a husband and wife. In 2016, however, Amber Heard filed for divorce from Depp on the grounds that Johnny Depp had committed domestic violence.
This lawsuit caused parties who had worked with Johnny Depp to cancel their contracts. Reportedly, Disney and Warner Bros., which contracted Johnny Depp as the main star of their film franchise, announced that they fired Depp after Amber Heard filed for divorce.
In 2019, Johnny Depp filed a counterclaim for $50 million against Amber Heard. Depp said that he didn’t commit domestic violence against Amber Heard at all, and vice versa. He revealed that Amber Heard committed domestic violence against Depp. Of course, this demand was accompanied by statements from witnesses that disproved Heard’s claim that he had been physically abused by Depp.
Finally, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp agreed to attend the trial to resolve this case. On April 11, 2022, the defamation trial began in the Superior Court of Virginia. Interestingly! Johnny Depp’s party invited Shannon Curry, a forensic psychologist who diagnosed Amber Heard.
According to Curry, Amber Heard had borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder. Finally, Amber Heard paid Johnny Depp $15 million in defamation damages, made up of $5 million in punitive damages and $10 million in compensatory damages. However, the $5 million in punitive damage was immediately reduced to $350,000 due to Virginia’s punitive damage cap.
If you want to know why Amber Heard has histrionic personality disorder, what its causes and symptoms are, and how to deal with it, read on because we will explain everything about histrionic personality disorder. We discovered the information about histrionic personality disorder from kampuspsikologi.com. Here you go!
Disclaimer: The posts about psychology (especially about mental disorders) are intended as an educational tool only and not for self-diagnosis. We hope that our post can also help you take appropriate action when you meet individuals who suffer from the same disorder.
What Is Histrionic Personality Disorder?
According to some sources, histrionic personality disorder is a cousin of narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders that are often characterized by excitable, dramatic, erratic, or volatile behaviors.
Histrionic personality disorder is a mental health issue characterized by emotional instability, a great desire to be the center of attention, and a distorted self-image. People with histrionic personality disorder not only like to flex, but they can also produce incredible sensations.
In Amber Heard’s case, the diagnosis of histrionic personality disorder is consistent with the evidence presented at trial—that she created a sensation by accusing her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, who was alleged to have committed domestic abuse.
Reportedly, histrionic personality disorder is relatively rare and only found in 1% of the world’s population. In fact, most people with histrionic personality disorder are women in their early 20s or late teens.
Causes of Histrionic Personality Disorder
The causes of histrionic personality disorder are unknown, but some psychologists believe it is genetically inherited. That means the person who is born into a family with a high level of depression and anxiety will develop a personality disorder of any kind.
Aside from that, this kind of personality disorder can be caused by family and socio-economic conditions, childhood trauma, culture, education, and environmental influences. According to recently updated continuing education materials for psychiatrists and psychologists, histrionic personality disorder specifically describes exaggerated emotions and attention-seeking behaviors.
Symptoms of Histrionic Personality Disorder
According to the WebMD website and the DSM-5, there are a number of symptoms that people with histrionic personality disorder show. Here they are:
- Be an attention-seeker who craves to be the center of attention and feels uncomfortable when not in control.
- Dramatic or exaggerated emotions to get attention, even attempt suicide.
- Easily bored or frustrated when facing the same routines, they tend not to focus on one task.
- Uses physical appearance and even sexuality to draw attention.
- Constantly seeking reassurance or approval from others.
- Easily influenced by others.
- Too sensitive to criticism.
- Dramatically act, as if the audience is watching.
- Rarely think before acting.
- Be selfish and don’t care about other people’s feelings.
- It is hard to develop commitment, both at work and in romantic relationships.
How to Treat Histrionic Personality Disorder?
The most effective treatment for histrionic personality disorder is psychotherapy with an individual focus. Some research has proven that psychodynamic therapy that focuses on trauma healing can help someone deal with problems related to this personality disorder.
How to Deal with Someone with Histrionic Personality Disorder?
There are some approaches to dealing with people who have histrionic personality disorder. What you should do is:
1) Don’t fall for their drama.
Individuals with histrionic personality disorder oftentimes dramatize and exaggerate things, e.g., other people’s mistakes against them. Thus, you may need to keep yourself thinking logically and not believe what they say.
2) Give them distance
People with histrionic personality disorder may have explosive tempers. If it happens, you may be exposed to the sap, either emotionally or physically. What you should do is stay away for a while to let them calm down instead of getting involved in bigger problems.
3) Talk to a psychologist
If you suspect someone, particularly a close friend, of having histrionic personality disorder, you should consult a psychologist for professional advice. Of course, most psychologists will understand what you should do.
That’s all the information we have on Amber Heard’s diagnosis of histrionic personality disorder. After reading about this mental health issue, you will be ready to deal with histrionic personality disorder.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
