When complete avoidance of a drama addict isn’t an option, protecting your energy is vital. Dr. Vora recommends setting boundaries, starting with gentle communication of them, but being willing to escalate if needed when someone doesn’t respect those boundaries. “Remember that boundaries are ultimately up to us to maintain. We can't necessarily rely on others to respect our boundaries.”
“Much of the time, it can be helpful to say, in a gentle and compassionate way, that it doesn't feel good to you to talk behind peoples' backs, or that hearing about someone else's problems is contributing to your stress, and that you have your own problems and you don't have enough mental bandwidth to hold space for theirs.”
Self-care plays a role as well, especially if you’re sensitive to the energy of those around you. Dr. Vore recommends clearing and grounding practices. A few of her favorites are “taking an unplugged walk, exercising, processing with my partner or taking a moment to have a ritual such as taking 30 seconds to do a breathing exercise or spraying a sage spray around my desk in between patients.
While you may not be conscious of it, Dr. Lyons points out that an addiction to drama is often a survival mechanism. A common example he shares is someone suffering from a sense of loneliness or isolation from others, and seeking connection by bringing others into your crisis.