There are some people who are just exhausting to be with. They go from one drama to the other. Life is never peaceful in their world. The more drama they have the better life gets. How do we deal with those people and what can we do to keep from being dragged into the pit with them?
First off recognize the behavior and refuse to be played. People who are emotional manipulators will never have enough of your time. They will always need more from you, no matter how much of your time you give them, whether it be 10 minutes or 10 hours, it will be less than what they need. They will drain you with their needs. Be mindful of yourself and your capabilities. Don’t allow them to guilt you into more time.
Don’t get caught up in their drama. You are being played when the person will not only carry their own drama to you, but they’ll also give you the drama of every single person they know. They aren’t interested in fixing the problem which caused the drama, they just like the wallowing factor of being there. They love being the one in the know of the drama, but they won’t contribute to a solution because it’s just too much fun to be wrapped in it. Have you ever seen a dog after they’ve had a bath? They run out to roll in the stink of dirt. They aren’t interested in being clean, the smell of yuck is the better draw. How’s that for a visual?
This person will be emotional about everything! Big highs, big lows, and no matter what you do to try to make it better, it will never be enough. They will be the first to volunteer to help you, but they will also sigh, complain, never finish the job and remind you constantly that they helped you. What they will do in the end is not follow your instructions, and refuse to be accountable for their inability to handle the project. Your best bet is to hold them accountable and not get caught up in their drama. If you let them know that they forgot something, they will give you a list of their latest dramas to try to make you feel guilty for asking anything of them.
Unfortunately, this person won’t make a good friend overall. They may seem like they really want to be your friend but their only agenda is to take away from you. Ultimately, they are very selfish people who want the world to revolve around them. They don’t see past their need to be the center of attention. So while they may look as if they are there for you in a crisis, it’s only to get their latest fix. They will move on as soon as the next victim has a trauma. You may be lured into trying to help them, but recognize that this personality needs professional help and directing them to that process is your best bet.
Pastor Susan 