A drama queen is a person who overreacts to minor incidents and sees the world in absolute terms. They are self-absorbed and tend to view friends and family as inferior beings. They may be jealous or envious of others and have a demanding or manipulative personality. In adult life, being thought of as a drama queen is generally not a good thing, as it can make it difficult for others to trust sensitive information. A drama queen may have true histrionic personality disorder and should consider seeking the advice of trained mental health professionals.
Conflicts and disappointments are natural side effects of the human experience, but for a certain personality type known as the “drama queen,” life’s little setbacks can trigger explosive emotional outbursts and other irrational behavior. The term &mdahs; or less frequently, “drama king” – is usually applied to someone with a demanding or domineering personality who tends to overreact to seemingly minor incidents. A drama queen often sees the world in absolute terms and has only two settings on her emotional control button: zero and ten. Psychologists might describe such a person as a neurotic personality with histrionic tendencies, meaning that she tends to become unnecessarily dramatic whenever the order is disrupted.
In literature, the Scarlett O’Hara character from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind would be considered a drama queen by today’s standards. This type of person is notoriously self-absorbed and self-absorbed, and often views friends and family as inferior beings assigned to look after her personal needs. Her worst enemy is loneliness, so she tends to be very outgoing and social, although many of her friendships tend to remain on a superficial level. Others who have experienced the drama queen’s sudden outbursts in the past may feel like they are walking on eggshells around her, not wanting to be the one to deliver shocking news or offend her in any way.
A drama queen could also be described as a diva, a neurotic and self-centered perfectionist prone to sudden demands and outbursts. However, even a diva is generally considered to be exceptionally talented, which isn’t always the case for a drama queen. She may be jealous or envious of others, which could make any personal failure all the more painful and trigger another round of emotional outbursts or irrational thoughts of revenge. In her world, people can be for her or against her; there are no intermediate stages.
Many parents find themselves in the unenviable position of dealing with a young drama queen. This can be a difficult situation for other siblings, as their needs may take a back seat to those of the fussier child. Some parents choose to consent to the child rather than provoking the inevitable tantrum or histrionic outburst. However, by directly confronting selfish behavior, parents can demonstrate that a child’s demanding or manipulative personality is not enough to force him to do anything. A young drama queen’s worst fear is of being ignored or becoming powerless over others.
In adult life, being thought of as a drama queen or drama king is generally not a good thing. Colleagues or superiors may fear confronting such a person in the workplace, as they usually don’t take personal criticism very well. You may find yourself out of the social or political circle at work, as your tendency to overreact or lash out at others irrationally makes it difficult for others to trust sensitive information.
While a drama queen might find her strong personality and manipulative skills helpful in some situations, her inability to control her emotions and form meaningful relationships might keep her socially isolated. Someone who acts in this way may have true histrionic personality disorder and should consider seeking the advice of trained mental health professionals.
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