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People who thrive on drama frequently display these 12 behaviors

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Drama kings and queens engage in these behaviors regularly.

A woman poses against a solid blue background, wearing a red dress. Her face is adorned with red face paint around her eyes and forehead, and she holds her hands near her head in a striking pose.

Some people just can’t seem to enjoy peace and harmony: they always need to be dealing with some type of dramatic, emotional rollercoaster or they don’t know what to do with themselves. When things get too chill, they usually have to stir the pot using the following behaviors, in order to get back to their drama-filled comfort zones.

1. They’re quick to take anything that anyone says as “offensive”.

A woman with medium-length dark hair and wearing a black and white checkered shirt angrily points at a smartphone in her other hand. Her facial expression shows frustration and anger as she looks at the phone's screen.

People who thrive on drama are usually emotionally volatile: they’ll take offense over just about anything, or make wild accusations without any basis in reality. In essence, they’re just looking for something to get upset about, and if there isn’t anything actually happening, they’ll damned well make it happen.

2. They interfere in the lives of others.

An older man with white hair and glasses is engaged in a serious conversation with a younger man with a beard. They are sitting on a gray couch in a well-lit room, facing each other, with the older man gesturing with his hands.

They seek to control others and invest themselves in others’ lives and drama because they have no control over their own. Basically, their life might be a hot dumpster fire, but instead of sorting themselves out, they’ll interfere in other people’s business and tell them what they should do to fix themselves.

3. They have no idea who they really are.

A woman with red hair wearing a blue athletic outfit stands near a river with a large bridge in the background. The scene is overcast, and the bridge structure is prominent in the image.

These people often don’t know what they really like, or what’s important to them. They go along with whatever is trending in the moment, and have no discernible personality, nor a sense of real purpose. They’ll change their appearance or style often, and constantly seem to be in search of something.

4. They gossip an awful lot.

Two women sitting at a table in a café, sharing a secret. The woman on the left has red hair and is wearing a gray sweater, holding her hand over her mouth in surprise. The woman on the right has dark hair, wearing a dark green blouse, whispering into her friend's ear.

Since they don’t have many interesting perspectives to share with others, they gossip about other people’s lives instead. They may fixate on celebrities and share tantalizing tidbits they’ve heard or read about, or will imply things about others solely to get a reaction out of those around them.

5. They project their issues onto others.

Two women sit on a couch facing each other with their arms crossed and serious expressions. One is wearing a white, patterned blouse, and the other a grey top. A staircase is in the background. Both appear to be upset or in a disagreement.

You’ve probably noticed that drama queens and kings often despise traits in others that they embody themselves. For instance, someone who never stops talking will condemn other people for being overly chatty, and a person who has low self-esteem about their lack of fitness will insult others for being overweight or physically weak.

6. If they have a good partner, they don’t value them.

A man and a woman are seated on a couch, with pillows behind their backs. The man, wearing an orange shirt, is holding a TV remote and smiling. The woman, with long red hair in a green blouse, has her head resting on her hand and appears bored or disinterested.

These people may have the most amazing partners or spouses in the world, but they’ll constantly find things about them to criticize. They’ll take them for granted and focus on traits that annoy them instead of appreciating everything they do. Then they’ll turn around and get jealous if they talk to anyone else.

7. They betray people’s secrets.

A close-up of a person partially covering their mouth with their hand, suggesting a gesture of silence or contemplation. The person is wearing a dark shirt, and the background is blurred, drawing attention to the hand and facial expression.

They seem to find it particularly entertaining to share the kind of information that has the potential to do real damage in someone else’s life. If anyone shares a secret with them—such as an affair, unexpected pregnancy, and so on—then that becomes public domain info as soon as their back is turned.

8. They are morally inconsistent.

A woman with long blonde hair and a dark shirt sits on a bed, shrugging with a playful, puzzled expression. She faces another person with short dark hair who is slightly out of focus. In the background, there are shelves, a clock, and a window letting in light.

They might sleep with someone’s partner or steal from their employer with absolutely no remorse, until they’re caught. Then they’re sorry, but they aren’t actually contrite about what they’ve done. Rather, they’re sorry that anyone found out, and they’ll try to gain sympathy from others by implying that they’re the wronged party in the situation.

9. They may display a perceived lack of intelligence or common sense.

A woman with red hair and a black leather jacket stands against a brick wall, facing a man with dark hair and wearing a black shirt. She has a surprised or frustrated expression, with her mouth open and eyebrows raised. The man’s back is to the camera.

You may have noticed that those who thrive on drama are often in the lower percentile of human intelligence. Some may exhibit behaviors such as mouth breathing or staring vacantly at others, or they may simply behave in an incredibly juvenile, immature manner like someone half their age, or less.

10. They take unnecessary risks to create chaos.

A man in a white dress shirt and black tie sits at a poker table, holding a drink in one hand and resting his head on the other. He appears distressed, with playing cards and poker chips spread on the table in front of him. A maroon curtain is in the background.

They might engage in risky behaviors because they seek sensory stimulation and emotional engagement. For example, they might enjoy the thrill of stealing things without getting caught, speeding through lights as they turn red, or having risky casual encounters so they can freak out about potential pregnancy.

11. They instantly form opinions based on little objective evidence.

A woman with short auburn hair is wearing large cat-eye sunglasses and a sleeveless top. She is touching the frame of her sunglasses with her left hand, showcasing a watch on her wrist. The background is blurred and appears to be a green outdoor setting.

Instead of amassing information and then forming an opinion based on what they’ve learned, they jump to conclusions or make judgment calls about a person or situation immediately. One glance is all they need to determine that someone “thinks they’re better than them”, or that an endeavor isn’t worth their time.

12. They intentionally self-sabotage.

A woman in a red coat with an anxious expression holds a single dollar bill in one hand and an open wallet in the other. She stands next to an ATM, and shopping bags hang from her arm.

They may keep putting off filing school paperwork until it’s too late and then wail that all the classes they wanted were full. Alternatively, they might play games with someone they’re dating, such as ignoring them to make that person “chase” them, and then cry when they lose interest.

About The Author

Catherine Winter is an herbalist, INTJ empath, narcissistic abuse survivor, and PTSD warrior currently based in Quebec's Laurentian mountains. In an informal role as confidant and guide, Catherine has helped countless people work through difficult times in their lives and relationships, including divorce, ageing and death journeys, grief, abuse, and trauma recovery, as they navigate their individual paths towards healing and personal peace.