Do you ever wonder why some people seem to thrive on drama? They want to be in the middle of it ALL THE TIME! Why? Drama, according to the Urban Dictionary means “creating unnecessary stress about unimportant things. Making a mountain of a mole hill to get attention.” So why do people do this?
It seems people create unnecessary drama to make their lives more exciting. People feel lonely, and they want to be involved, even when it’s none of their business. They feel they can share their experiences even if they have never experienced the situation before. They want to give their advice or have people feel sorry for them when things don’t quite go their way. I feel this quote sums it up pretty well.
It seems that people who love and create drama are never quite happy with things around them. And even when there are reasons to be happy, they sabotage and self-sabotage until the relationship, the workplace, the circumstance looks like the preferred environment of chaos they have in their head.
The biggest problem with drama kings and queens is they want to pull everyone, including you into their drama. They need others involved to feel the excitement. It’s like a drug. They need the rush. They also don’t want others to be happy. They want it to be about them. They have no interest in appreciating others or what they are going through.
So what can you do when you have friends or family members who LOVE drama? The first rule of advice is to stay calm. And at first, that family member may resent you. They may say you don’t care because you aren’t getting involved. But for your own physical and mental health, it’s better to be criticized and stay out of the situation. Eventually, they will not involve you in the drama anymore. Here are 8 Strategies to Avoid Other People’s Drama by Sharon Martin.
- Accept that you cannot change that person. Remember the book called “Compete Every Day” by Jake Thompson. “We have control of only three things in life: our effort, our attitude, and our emotions.” Not others.
- Anticipate difficult situations. If you know you are going to be around someone who is dramatic then prepare for your responses.
- Stay calm. Don’t react to the situation and don’t get involved.
- Remove yourself from the situation. If they get upset that you won’t react then go home.
- Don’t make it about you. The drama they create has nothing to do with you.
- Stay in your own lane. Worry about the things you can control.
- Maintain clear boundaries. You only need to be involved in the situations you want to be involved in.
- Get support. Talk to others and make sure you have support.
Although it is difficult to remain drama-free, there are steps you can take to minimize the drama in your life. Stay positive. Everyone is on a different journey. Embrace your journey and if you don’t like the path you are on, then change it. Isn’t it easier to support each other than to tear each other down?
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
