Don't Call Me a Drama Queen!

Dr. Debra Mandel
Alyson Books

You've got to love the audacity of the title of this book, which is most definitely not a guide to handling disrespectful people. Rather, it's a reality check for the thin-skinned, or as Mandel describes it, "a guide for the overly sensitive ... who need to learn to lighten up and go with the flow." Though Mandel is as supportive as she is clear-eyed, and at pains to emphasize that getting carried away with your emotions doesn't make you a bad person, she also encourages the over-reactors of the world to embrace the self-deprecating humor of the drama queen label. Admitting you have a problem is the first step, after all. It's in keeping with Mandel's approachable style, which blends her years of experience as a therapist with an emphasis on problem-solving and a dash of humor; one minute she's minutely examining issues of self-esteem and perfectionism that can give rise to drama queenery, the next she's giving zippy advice like "don't fall into a shame hole." Mandel also gives practical tools for examining your reactions and reining them in when necessary. Though a lot of the book sounds like common sense, these truths aren't necessarily easy to see for an over reactor who's stuck in drama queen's cycle of behavior. This book can help break out of those patterns, making life less stressful for those with drama queen tendencies and the people around them.