26: Dramatization

Dramatization is the act of taking initiative to the way in which others are expected to behave, generally in a grandiose manner.

Examples of this behavior are a child who expects to be punished may misbehave, a teenage girl may unceremoniously dump her boyfriend because she thinks he may break up with him, or a worker may walk off the job because he expects to be disciplined.

Histrionic personality disorder ("Histrionic" from the Latin base of "actor") involves individuals who lack self-worth, depend on the attention and approval of others, and who act out in melodramatic ways in order to attract attention to themselves.

In general, a dramatic person will do things that cause others to express sympathy toward them for a fabricated affliction, or to be sensitive of giving them offense to avoid their emotional outbursts.

In other cases, a dramatic person merely wishes to call attention to himself, to gain a privileged status in a group or to draw the attention of someone with whom they crave a social or sexual relationship.

Their low self-esteem makes them sensitive to loss or rejection, and the notion that others will fail to give them attention is a cause of distress. While catering to the whims of a dramatic person generally encourages further drama, ignoring them may cause them to behave even more outrageously - but ultimately to abandon their attempt.