Is is possible to have both Avoidant & Histrionic tendencies?

This is something I've been wondering about myself lately because generally when I'm around other people I have this huge urge to get everyones attention but my anxiety and nervousness stops me from doing anything. Only rarely will I ignore my mind and follow the urges and do something crazy like pretend to be a demon and scare eveyone or fake having a mental illness. After I do that though I feel exhausted and embarrased because I just made a fool out of my self. This is not the case though if I meet a friend. With my friends I will do anything to get and keep their attention because I'm afraid that if I'm not doing anything silly they will find me boring and it will be awkward. I also feel disconnected from my friends when they don't seem to be reacting to the attention im giving to them. (Criticizing or ignoring me etc ) and I'll do anything so that I can stand out in my group of friends. (Stealing things and blaming it on others, lying, starting drama, doing crazy dares, etc) if one of my friends is really popular I'll try to get their attention more or get more attention than them. Usually my friendships don't end well because I do something crazy that they dont like. And I dont like losing friends so I do anything I can to get them back and if that does not work I'll taunt them to get their attention. But yeah other than that I have extreme anxiety when talking to people I dont know or like. And its not that I don't care about my friends. I do its just its hard to be myself when I'm around them because deep down im very introverted and shy.

It sounds like you might just be self-aware HPD, which makes you hesitate, since you are self-aware and also know that you look foolish with such antics. I wouldn't pathologize something impressive and healthy like self-awareness. Sure it doesn't feel good to be self-aware or to engage in introspection, when you have a disorder. But it's still an impressive, useful and healthy ability.

I wonder if your sense of restraint is because you are Avoidant, Introverted, or just the 'norm'. On a personal level I don't view Avoidant and Introversion as the same thing, or rather I would use the two words differently. Besides most people don't draw attention by doing something 'crazy' in public. It is the 'norm' to avoid such displays, even if they feel some random impulse to do something out of the ordinary.

Just guessing here, but I don't think there is anything in the diagnostic description of HPD that mentions introvert vs extrovert. Same with the other cluster B disorders, so I see no reason why someone can't be both an introvert and have thinking patterns that match the HPD criteria.

Another way to look at is if you combine HPD with an Extroverted personality, odds are greater that type of person will be in the spotlight more often, and so match the stereotype of what we might think of when we think of HPD, but stereotypes represent the extremes rather than the norm.

On a personal level, I think the person I got involved with, that I believe has HPD, is also an introvert. Sure, when she was on a temporary manic run she could be very outgoing, but she also burned out soon enough, like an introvert would, and then wanted quiet, or the one on one type of relationship that introverts need to recharge. It was also my belief that a portion of her constant anxiety revolved around fighting with herself. A part of her felt she needed to be this outgoing, over the top, person that you described, but it went against her introverted nature.

For whatever it's worth though, I think introverts who live in societies that value extroverts feel pressured to be like extroverts (to be liked and accepted). Because it goes against their nature too, us introverts are left feeling anxious and unhappy when we don't like ourselves for who we are.