If you hate drama, reconsider your relationships with people who do these 10 things

Consider cutting ties with dramatic people who do these things.

A woman with red hair and a black shirt gestures with her hands while talking to someone in a purple shirt, outdoors in a park setting. The background is sunny with green trees and grass.

Drama essentially boils down to a person’s behaviors. Which means if you want to rid your life of drama, you need to rid yourself of people who exhibit those behaviors. With this in mind, let’s explore some of the most common acts of persistent drama. If you see someone doing these things, consider pruning them from your social circle.

1. Gossiping constantly.

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.

Gossip is a constant source of drama because why wouldn’t it be? It’s people talking badly about each other behind one another’s backs. After that gets found out, then you have to deal with hurt feelings, anger, and whatever damage it causes to those relationships. One should avoid being too close to gossips because then other people will assume you’re a gossip too, even if you’re not. People with healthy boundaries don’t involve themselves too closely with gossips.

2. Causing conflict (or throwing fuel on the fire).

Two young women are outdoors. One woman, with long brown hair, looks upset and is wearing a gray jacket over a burgundy top. The other woman is gesticulating and appears to be talking angrily, wearing a blue denim shirt over a black top.

There are people who enjoy stirring the pot, instigating fights, or escalating situations that will bring unnecessary drama into your life. In this case, it’s not only about the disturbance of your peace, but also the quality of their character. Their actions are purposefully causing other people pain and suffering. They may be lying or manipulating people to get what they want. That isn’t a person you want to have around you, because they’ll do it to you, too.

3. Playing the victim.

A woman with long, brown hair and green eyes stands against a dark background. She appears distressed, with smudged mascara under her eyes, indicating she has been crying. She wears a dark turtleneck sweater and has one hand raised to her head.

Few things are as exhausting as people who play the victim all the time. They never take responsibility for their actions and always blame others when things go badly. It’s draining trying to keep up with that charade, and it’s not the behavior of an emotionally healthy individual. Furthermore, there is a significant chance that you will get sucked up into their drama and similarly blamed while they try to avoid responsibility.

4. Overreacting to minor issues.

Two women seated at a table, engaged in a conversation. The woman facing the camera gestures with her hand, wearing a white blouse. The setting appears to be an outdoor café or a business area with dark furniture.

Peace is hard to maintain when you’re around someone who constantly makes mountains out of molehills. Every little problem gets exploded into a catastrophe, creating unnecessary stress and drama for everyone nearby. It’s also a way for a person to garner attention and make issues about themselves even when they aren’t involved. Some people who do this use it as a way to interject themselves into trauma.

5. Seeking attention constantly.

A man in a suit smiles and waves from inside a car as flashes from outside illuminate him. The interior is softly lit, and the window is partially down, allowing him to interact with the onlookers.

Attention seekers crave the spotlight and pursue it, often at the expense of others. They may stir up drama and gossip to keep themselves relevant. They may also do things like constantly brag about their accomplishments or engage in one-upsmanship to bring attention back to themselves. Other ways a person may draw attention is through provocative dress, provocative actions, or generally being loud so they can’t be easily ignored.

6. Starting arguments for no reason.

A woman with blonde hair, wearing a gray blazer and white shirt, sits at a desk and talks to a man in a suit. She gestures with one hand, possibly explaining something. They are in a bright office with large windows and several potted plants in the background.

Arguing is negativity that just drains the participants. Still, some people prefer arguing because they can handle negativity easier than positivity. It’s an odd concept on the surface, but it’s easier to understand when you can recognize that someone might be more comfortable in their misery out of familiarity. It’s what they know, so it’s comfortable. Of course, these kinds of people suck all the joy and fun out of a room. They are exhausting to be around and will often disturb the peace.

7. Behaving in a passive-aggressive manner.

A woman and a man sit on a park bench with back-to-back posture, arms crossed, looking away from each other, suggesting disagreement or tension. The background shows blurred trees, indicating an outdoor setting.

Indirect communication and subtle digs make all sorts of relationships emotionally draining and tense. It’s impossible to figure out problems and find solutions when the people involved won’t directly discuss them. Passive-aggressiveness often leads to hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and unresolved issues that will continue in the relationship until the problems are actually dealt with.

8. Dragging you into their problems.

Three women are sitting together on a couch. The woman on the right appears upset, covering her face with one hand. The other two women are offering comfort and support, with one speaking and the other placing a hand on her shoulder.

Personal conflicts are just that—personal. However, some people take no issue with dragging outsiders into their issues. They often do it to get someone on their side to support them. However, that’s not always an honest thing. All you may know is what they’ve told you, and you simply can’t trust that. Even the most honest person has personal bias. It’s simply not fair to you when others drag you into their conflicts when you have nothing to do with them.

9. Creating complications.

A man in a blue shirt and glasses is pointing and talking to another man with glasses in an office setting. In the background, three people are working at computers near a bookshelf filled with various items. The setting has a modern, open-plan design.

Not every situation needs to be complicated. In fact, many matters are simple if you actually focus on addressing them. However, some people don’t do that. Instead, they willfully misinterpret situations to favor themselves or get the upper hand. Instead of handling their issue, they may drag third parties into it which just makes it harder to get to a real resolution. The more people that are involved, the harder it is to resolve the situation because everyone has an opinion.

10. Holding onto grudges.

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There are few things more important in this world than forgiveness. People who dwell on past wrongs and bring them up constantly are trapping themselves in a cycle of negativity and anger. It’s hard to move forward positively when you’re regularly flooding your brain with negativity and anger. Furthermore, it’s not like negativity and anger stays limited to just that person. No, negativity is infectious and eats up whatever happiness it comes into contact with—namely, yours!