Drama is a Drug

              Whether you want to believe it or not, Drama is a drug. We see it all the time, people are addicted to drama. Do you know someone where every time you turn around he/she is in the middle of something dramatic? Whether they are the cause of something or just wrapped in as a third party. Could be small or big. They could be breaking the law or in the middle of gossip. But one thing is certain, they are addicted to drama.

               I can remember a time in my life where I was hooked on drama. I found myself searching for relationships with women that I knew were not right for me. I would pick a fight with someone sarcastically just to get a rise out of them. Shoot, I was so bad that I would literally make up stories just to have something crazy or dramatic to talk about.

I was messed up. But why?

Because I was addicted to drama and what it provided me; attention. I didn't care how I got it; I wanted people to pay attention to me. I couldn't stand not being in the spotlight.

Due to this and many other reasons in life, I went through a lot of different friends throughout the years. It wasn't because they caught on to my ploys. No, it was because I got bored of them and wanted new dramas and stories to insert my life into. I would even spend hours on Facebook and other social media outlets just to keep tabs on what was going on in other people’s lives. It was a pure rush for me to get the new gossip or whatever you want to call it vicariously through others. I was a wreck.

Although I was saved and new Christ as my savior, I was not putting him as a priority in my life. I was focusing on other’s lives and what they could do for me.

I remember the exact turning point in my life. My roommate/best friend at the time and I were on the outs. He started dating a girl I had been chasing off and on for years. I know at first you are probably thinking, wow I can’t believe your best friend would date THE girl you had been chasing behind your back. NOT SO FAST. Actually, he went about it in a real respectable manner. He took me out to breakfast and told me he had feelings for her and she had feelings towards him as well. He even asked for my blessing. Without hesitation, I gave my blessing and they began dating. In the early stages, he even asked me if I was still okay with everything and I said yes. He was a great friend.

Although it was difficult at times to see them together, I did pretty well for a while. But one day I decided I didn't like it anymore and became cold and distant. Drama crept back into my life. I wanted to create a divide but masked it by telling others I just couldn't handle seeing them together.

I bought into my own drama to the point where I made myself depressed. Instead of talking it out with my best friend, I decided to move out from our apartment and start fresh. Around the same time, I got a management position at my job.

So there I was, a manager and living on my own. For me, it was the first time living by myself in a while and the first time managing people. I didn't know what to do with all my free time from work, so I sought to better myself as a leader at work. To help with that, I turned to the Bible for insight and guidance. The first and best decision I had made in a long time. It helped that I had an empty apartment where I could read anytime I wanted. During that time of reflection and study, I rededicated my life to putting Christ first.

I continued to read, worked out, and went for long runs. All the time, praying and seeking God. Almost overnight, I stopped perusing Facebook for the new gossip and stopped trying to put myself in the spotlight. The joy and peace I found was so overflowing, I had a continuous smile on my face! God had renewed me. I suddenly lost all interest in the dramatic and a sense of maturity came across me. (It was about time I started acting mature)

But he wasn't done yet. Not too long after that, God brought the most amazing, spiritual, and edifying women into my life. She was everything I could ever want and need in this life…and more! God had blessed me so much just by me turning towards him and giving everything up for him.

Drama, like any addiction has to be kicked and it usually starts with a conscious decision to turn from it. Rarely can someone intervene on your behalf to change that. In my case, God was my solution and I praise him for it to this day!

But that’s not the end. Like every addiction/drug; although it can be tough to kick, it can be very easy to relapse. The best way to prevent the drama-drug to creep back into my life was to cut out the people or things that could easily temp me. For instance, I unfriended certain people on Facebook that I knew would lead to drama; I also stopped hanging out with certain people who exuded drama in their life. Most importantly, I had to constantly think through my actions and continuously seek God.

There is so much more I could say about drama and its addictive powers, but I’m afraid this post would turn into a novel. But just remember that God can heel anyone from something, but it depends on if YOU are willing to let him.