Mason Cooke, Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)

Name: Mason Cooke

Age: 20

Disorder: Histrionic Personality Disorder

Description of disorder: HPD is defined as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, including a need for approval and inappropriately seductive behavior, usually beginning in early adulthood. People with a histrionic personality disorder have a high need for attention, make loud and inappropriate appearances, exaggerate their behaviors and emotions, and crave stimulation. Associated features include egocentrism, self-indulgence, exhibitionist behavior, a tendancy to make rash decisions, continous longing for appreciation, pride of own personality, and constant manipulative behavior to get what they want. The cause of HPD is unknown, but childhood events such as a death or serious illness in the immediate family, divorce of parents, and genetics may be involved.

Has been at LPH for: 1 week

Medicine: Zoloft (antidepressant), undergoing psychotherapy sessions and cognitive behavioral therapy sessions

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Background: If there's one thing Mason Cooke can remember about his father, it was that he always loved to play with his son. Playing catch, going to the park, watching a movie, or just taking car rides together, Mr. Cooke did it all. He loved his son, and his son loved him. They'd spend as much time together as possible and always looked forward to when the other would get out of school or work. Mrs. Cooke was ecstatic she had just a wonderful family, and knew nothing could ever take that away from them. Unfortunately, she was wrong. On one Sunday morning, before heading off to church, thirteen-year-old Mason was in his kitchen, making breakfast. Everything was going normally until he heard a loud thud and the sound of his mother screaming from upstairs. Hurrying, he came to find his father had passed out on the ground, and when they called the ambulance which had taken him to the hospital, the doctor told them Mr. Cooke had sufferent a very intense heart attack. He was apparently under a lot of stress at work and was keeping it bottled up inside, not wanting to share his burden with his family. After two days of small surgeries and medical help, Mr. Cooke passed away. Wanting to start over somewhere new, Mrs. Cooke packed up her and her son and moved from Kentucky to Maryland. Mrs. Cooke thought that'd be all that was needed to help her son out with a new life. And, for a while, it was. Mason acted perfectly normal until he began his junior year of high school, when he seemed to turn into a different person. His personality had changed completely from quiet and reserved to rambunctious and dramatic. His once pure, virgin self was earning quite the "popular in bed" reputation around school (which Mrs. Cooke found out about after overhearing a conversation at her hair salon). Whenever Mrs. Cooke would take Mason anywhere, he'd do anything in his power to get all the attention on him, making sure he didn't go unnoticed. It was so unlike her son. After ignoring it for a few years, thinking it would pass, Mrs. Cooke finally called a local doctor, asking him to come for a house visit to observe her on, which is when Mason was diagnosed with HPD. Mason doesn't think he needs the help, because he doesn't think anything's wrong with him, but he told his mother he'd go to LPH if it made her feel any better. Which it did.

What you get to decide: Mason's overall personality (keep his background in mind), odds and ends about his childhood/before and after dad's death, how his medicine and therapy sessions are helping him, how he's coping with his denial of HPD

Played by: Evan Peters