ABSTRACT
Before elucidating the nuts and bolts of the histrionic personality, a little history of this pathology might be in order. In the days preceding political correctness and sensitivity for all, therapists referred to the histrionic disorder as hysteria. But biologically speaking, only females could become hysterical. The word "hysterical," derived from the Greek language, means "wandering womb." It was believed, in the days before X rays and MRIs, that a woman's womb would sometimes spontaneously detach itself and
take a road trip around the body, causing erratic behavior. Given that men are wombless, the term could not be used to describe male actions. In the Renaissance days, the cure for hysteria was bland food and bed rest. Today, the preferable treatment is psychotherapy.
