4 Signs You're Addicted to Drama

Do you find yourself constantly thirsting for juicy scuttlebutt? Do your relationships tend to be tempestuous and erratic? Do you find catharsis in overreaction? Does serenity bore you? If you answered affirmatively to any of these questions, you might have an unhealthy dependence on drama. Few will openly admit to seeking out turmoil, but, as with many addictions, the signs of drama addiction can be subtle and repressed by denial. Read on to see if you're someone for whom drama is the new drug of choice.

The Sky Is Always Falling

Consider the folk tale of Chicken Little, the hysterical chick who, when an acorn falls on its head, believes the sky is falling and the world is ending. Human Chicken Littles amplify the everyday vicissitudes of life into epic crises meriting emotional upheaval.

You don't hear from your boyfriend all day, so you carpet bomb him with texts asking why he's pulling away and insisting you won't tolerate neglect. Then you find his phone on silent underneath your couch. Defaulting to an emotional maelstrom at the slightest upset is a red flag of drama addiction.

You Seek out Troubled Relationships

This symptom of drama addiction can take many forms, but the result is the same: ill-fated, tumultuous romances that confuse intensity with intimacy. Some people seek out the "bad" boys or girls - they attract the forbidden fruit, only to get burned later on. Others seek out fixer-uppers, believing that they can save or reform someone who is down and out. Finally, some seek out unavailable partners; they might be in a relationship, lost in their careers, or out of the pursuer's league.

These behaviors lead to unstable relationships that end, perhaps because those who seek them find stable relationships just plain boring. Requesting a psychic reading online can help you identify these pathological patterns and discern what they mean for your future.

You Manufacture Upsets

For drama addicts, contentment has a paradoxical effect. That is, instead of contentment breeding happiness, it incites restlessness. Perhaps when things are calm, for example, you pick a senseless fight with a friend or partner or choose to take offense at something just for the thrill of indignation. These behaviors are often fear-based - focusing on others and volatile situations provides a convenient alternative to painful introspection and self-examination. Getting a live psychic reading is one way to explore the fears driving your addiction and get to the root of why you turn to external stimuli for inner peace.

You Crave Attention

Those addicted to drama often learned in childhood that they could only get attention with extreme reactions or by magnifying their pain. Emotional overreactions and fit-throwing typically succeed in getting the other person's attention, albeit in a negative way. Alternatively, less theatrical drama addicts might instead embellish their pain and problems to elicit sympathy and concern. These drama addicts like to "win" pain competitions - no one's hurt or problems are greater than theirs.

Drama is no different from chemicals in its addictive potential and debilitating consequences. As with any addiction,  recognizing the aforementioned signs and admitting the problem is the first step in healing.