Fun people create fun out of nothing.
Entrepreneurs create opportunities out of nothing.
Then there are people who create drama out of nothing.
Like, they could have the most joyful, perfect, blissful life, and be surrounded by the best people — and still be able to create drama out of sheer nothingness.
Do you know anyone like that? I’m sure you do. It’s a fairly common behavior anyway.
And if you’re wondering why and how these people can invest so much time and energy manufacturing malicious gossip and toxic thoughts — keep reading, that’s what this article is all about.
Today we’re going to have a look at five types of people who feed off drama, why they tend to do it, and how you can be immune to their energy-draining attitude.
Without further ado…
People who create drama all the time
1. Insecure people
These are individuals who, deep inside, feel empty.
They lack the belief that they are enough no matter what (which is one of the pillars of self-esteem).
Unfortunately, this affects quite a few people. A relatively high percentage of the population has issues with self-esteem and self-worth.
But… not everyone reacts the same way. A low self-esteem can translate to different behaviors depending on someone’s personality, environment, and so on.
And there are people who are insecure and have learned to fill that void, that emptiness, that lack of power, with drama.
Why they create drama
- It makes them feel better than other people
- It puts them in a position of power (where they judge others)
- It distracts them from their own issues
2. Narcissists
This is an actual personality disorder, which can affect not just the narcissist’s life, but also the life of their “victims”.
Narcissists are people with little to no empathy, and an extreme, exaggerated sense of self-worth.
In their mind, they are superior. They are better than anyone else. And because of that, they deserve attention.
Like, the most unreasonable, gigantic, ridiculous amount of attention and admiration.
To be in that position, they use different tactics (some of them subconscious), not just drama. But drama is overall pretty efficient. It usually works.
Why they create drama
- To make you emotionally involved thus easier to manipulate
- To be the center of attention, even if in a bad way
- It gives them the illusion that they are controlling others
3. Social media/TV addicts
These things are very addictive, and there’s nothing you can do about it. I mean, sure, you could go on a social media detox, or stop watching TV every day.
But there is nothing you can do about making those things less addictive. That’s just the way they were designed.
Think of the randomness and unpredictability of those likes and dislikes, positive and negative comments. Think of YouTube marathons.
Now, addiction itself is bad enough. But you also want to be very careful in terms of the kind of content that you consume.
Because although TV and social media can be wonderful tools to learn and grow (or just chill when you’re bored), they can also be drama factories.
The more drama you consume, the more drama you’ll have in your life. Some social media addicts like to constantly create drama and they don’t even realize it.
Why they create drama
- Subconscious emulation (they copy what they see everyday)
- They fall into the trap of thinking drama is glamorous
- They may think drama equals information (e.g. the news)
4. People who self sabotage
Self-sabotaging behavior is real. No one would ever admit that they self sabotage, yet it happens all the time.
The root causes of such behavior (which, again, is almost always subconscious) are usually low self-worth or even self-hatred.
Essentially, the person who self sabotages believes that they are not worthy of love, success, or whatever it is that would naturally happen in their life if they didn’t reject it.
This is the perfect example of your mind working against you rather than for you.
Not all people who self-sabotage create drama. But for those who self sabotage in, say, relationships, drama can be “useful”.
Why they create drama
- Their mind craves chaos, trouble, difficult things
- They believe they deserve toxic relationships, not healthy ones
- Drama is an easy way to sabotage happiness and otherwise healthy relationships
5. Energy vampires
If you don’t know what energy vampires are, feel free to have a look at my main article about them.
But in short, these are people who have learned to take energy from others. They literally steal your energy and happiness so they can feel better.
You can imagine this process as a spiritual one (e.g. a soul attacking another soul), but the effects of vampirism can be physical, too.
Sometimes you spend a few minutes with a vampire and you just feel physically sick. You may get a headache, or feel physically exhausted.
And the other person feels better. This is never a coincidence.
Why they create drama
- To create attention, fear, worry even when unnecessary
- To make you emotionally involved thus easier to manipulate
- To make you feel worse so they can feel better
Drama is draining (but we attract it)
Drama is bad. Drama is a waste of time that doesn’t even feel good.
But as human beings, we are mysteriously drawn by negative things. Our mind in particular is somehow fascinated by complex challenges, bad news, horror movies, and so on.
For most of us, things that are perfectly peaceful are just… boring.
When we are in a state of peace, when things work, when there is nothing to complain about — we tend to lose awareness of that, and then look for things that don’t work, that we can complain about, even if imaginary.
People who self sabotage, as explained above, are especially prone to this. But it’s not just them, it’s human nature.
The truth is that most of us are drawn by drama; we know it’s bad, but we can’t resist the temptation.
Kind of like watching a scene from a horror movie even though we know it’s terrifying and it won’t let us sleep at night.
I think it’s important to be aware of this mental process.
You want to be aware that our mind is programmed to like negative things, for lack of a better word, and then resist that.
Drama is toxic, and you don’t need any of it in your life. Whenever you’re around people who create drama, don’t give in. Your mental health will thank you.
How to deal with dramatic people
Don’t give them energy. Don’t give them attention.
If you’re somehow forced to listen to them, or if you think it’s rude not to, then don’t be too involved.
Give brief answers, and don’t comment on what they say. The more involved you are, the more they’ll do it.
In an ideal world, people who want to create drama… could not create drama, just because nobody would ever even listen to them. People would ignore them.
And as for the worst types — abusive narcissists and toxic people — feel free to block them or just cut them out of your life.
It’s not immature to block toxic people. Well, usually it’s not. And it’s simply a sign that you care about your mental health.
Remember — people who create drama can do so only when others give them attention. If you ignore them, they are powerless. Kind of like a fire that dies out when there is no fuel left.
