Drama: Why Are Some People Addicted To Drama?

The word 'Drama' is commonly heard and used in today's world. This could be to describe something on TV or in a film. It can also describe what is going on in one's life or the life of another person.

Dictionary Meaning

And on the dictionary.com website drama is described as: 1. a composition in prose or verse presenting in dialogue or pantomime a story involving conflict or contrast of character, especially one intended to be acted on the stage; a play. 2. The branch of literature having such compositions as its subject; dramatic art or representation. 3. The art dealing with the writing and production of plays. 4. Any situation or series of events having vivid, emotional, conflicting, or striking interest or results: the drama of a murder trial. 5. The quality of being dramatic.

So when it comes to the word drama, it would be appropriate to say that drama exists in the absence of peace and harmony. And that like most things on this earth, one can also become addicted to drama.

The Two Types Of Drama

In a soap or film for example; the drama is usually more extreme than it is in an individual's life. However, even if one were to talk about the average person's life; there is still plenty of drama.

This can range from all types of occurrences and outcomes. And what is certain is that one's internal experience is unlikely to be one of calm and serenity. The exte
al experience can be as equally chaotic to what is going on the inside, if not more.

And more often than not, it will seem that this drama is just happening and that one has no control over its expression. Because on one side there is the drama in one's life and on the other there is the attraction to the drama in the lives of others.

Visible And Invisible Drama

What is going on exte
ally is easy to see and what is going on inside another's mind and body is harder, if not impossible, to see. This is not only the case for the outside observer, but this may also apply to the individual.

This means that ones: thoughts, feelings, emotions and even ones own behaviours may go on unnoticed and out of ones awareness.

What's The Attraction?

So this creates the question: what attracts people to the exte
al drama? Through becoming engrossed and attached to the drama in other people's lives, it allows for at least two things to happen.

One of the things this does, is allows one to escape form their own drama. And secondly by comparing ones drama to the exte
al drama it creates a comparison. This comparison then enables one to see that their drama is not too bad and through this contrast one can feel more at ease.

When it comes to the drama is one's own life, it is as if this drama follows one around. And no matter where ones goes or who ones with; it is always there and like a shadow that can't be removed.
The Drama Addiction

So whether one is running away from their own drama or caught up in the drama of another person's life, be in real or through watching it on TV, there is an attachment there.

This attachment usually goes on out of one's awareness and wouldn't make any sense to the conscious mind. And this attachment is creating the same habits and the same patterns of behaviour.

The Ego Mind

To be able to understand why something exists in one's life and why it keeps showing up, the ego mind has to be brought into the equation. And the way the ego mind perceives reality is largely through ones early childhood experiences.

And through these early childhood experiences the ego mind begins to form associations of what is safe and it does this through what is familiar. What this means is, no matter how functional or dysfunctional these experiences were: they will be associated by the ego mind as what is safe.

The wounded Inner Child

Although time may have passed; all these early experiences still exist in the wounded inner child. The old memories remain frozen and trapped in the body and one will take on these again through regression.

This means that one will continue to experience the same feelings and patterns of behaviour that this wounded inner child has associated as safe.

The Drama Experience

When ones experiences this drama in their life and with it the absence of peace and harmony, there will be certain feelings and thoughts patterns. And these feelings, behaviours and exte
al manifestations are likely to mirror ones early childhood experience.

So what happens may be different on the outside, but how one feels and thinks on the inside is so familiar that another way is never even thought about. And as a result of this; the internal experience is not questioned or observed.

These feelings could be: hopelessness, rejection, abandonment, powerless, worthlessness and fear.

The Hidden Benefit

On the surface these clearly have no benefit, but to the ego mind and to the wounded inner child they are familiar and therefore safe. What this also means is that the ego mind has based its whole identity on these associations and so if the ego mind were to let them go, it would seem like the end of its existence.

The ego mind also has all kinds of defence mechanism to avoid looking at its self and facing what it would rather run away from. It does this because it works on pleasure and pain. And what happened all those years ago in ones childhood would have undoubtedly been painful and this means the ego mind will do all it can to avoid these early memories.

Consequences

So through defence mechanisms such as: dissociation, repression, denial and projection; all that one hasn't faced will turn up in ones interactions with others and as internal experiences. And this is why the same patterns will appear and why drama often follows some people where ever they go and whoever there with.

Awareness

This shows how important awareness is. All that has happened in the past is only continuing to appear, because it has not been expressed. Through the ego minds tendency to avoid what happened, one ends up as a slave to their ego mind.

By being the observer of the ego mind and allowing the past feelings, emotions and thoughts to be expressed; one has the chance to see that there another way.

Drama exists as a choice or as a potential; it is not the only choice and is one of many potentials.