For years, I didnāt see it.
I thought if I could just explain betterāif they could just understand my sideāeverything would shift.
But it never worked.
Instead, Iād walk away exhausted, frustrated, replaying the conversation in my headālike something had been taken from me.
And the worst part?
I didnāt even know why I felt so drained.
š”Ā What I didnāt realize was this:
Whenever someone pulled me into their emotional storm, my ownĀ Control DramaĀ activated in response.
I was matching their energy instead of choosing my own.
And the more I engaged, the more drained I became.
or emotionally unsafe.
Itās a habit we pick up in childhoodāwatching how the people around us manipulated attention, control, and emotional resources to feel okay.
And we all have one.
š”Ā The Problem?
Control Dramas donāt give us real energyātheyĀ stealĀ it.
Instead of sourcing energy from within, weĀ pull energy from others.
And when two people engage in Control Dramas, they create anĀ energetic deficitādraining each other while trying to “win.”
Energetic Banking: Are You Losing Energy in Conversations?
(Adapted from Carolyn Myssā work on Energetic Banking)
Every interaction is an energy exchange:
āĀ A depositĀ (gaining energy, clarity, peace)
āĀ A withdrawalĀ (losing energy, feeling drained, exhausted, resentful)
š³Ā Control Dramas = emotional debt.
Think of it like swiping a credit card with no intention to pay it back.
š« The more you argue, defend, and explain, the more debt you take on.
CONTROL DRAMA | BEHAVIOR PATTERNS | WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE | HOW IT DRAINS ENERGY |
Intimidator | Uses fear, criticism, anger, aggression, yelling, blaming, breaking things. | “You never do anything right. This is your fault!” | Steals energy by making others feel small, afraid, or guilty. |
Interrogator | Controls through questioning, intellectualizing, deflecting, arguing, using information to soothe. | “Why did you do it that way? You should have known better.” | Drains energy by making others feel defensive or inadequate. |
Aloof | Withdraws, ignores, denies, distracts, becomes too busy to feel, neglects. | “I donāt want to talk about it.” (silent treatment, avoidance) | Depletes energy by forcing others to chase engagement. |
Poor Me | Over-responsible for others, under-responsible for self, victim/martyr mentality, blames others, complains. | “I do everything for everyone, and no one appreciates me.” | Pulls energy by making others feel guilty or obligat |
š”Ā Do any of these sound familiar?
Maybe one reminds you of your parents.
Maybe one sounds a little too close to home.
Control Dramas donāt exist in isolationāthey createĀ perfect matchesĀ for each other.
š¹ TheĀ InterrogatorĀ (who demands answers and control) will unconsciously attract theĀ AloofĀ (who avoids and withdraws).
š¹ TheĀ IntimidatorĀ (who blames, criticizes, and dominates) will draw in theĀ
Poor MeĀ (who collapses into victimhood).
And the more one person settles into their role, the more the other personās complementary Control Drama activates in response.
š”Ā Unless one person becomes aware of this invisible game, they will unknowingly get pulled into the matching Control Drama.
How to Break Free: The 4-Step Process
š”Ā If youāve ever walked away from an argument feeling depleted, resentful, or like something was missingāitās because Control Dramas were running the show.
Hereās how to shift out of them andĀ reclaim your energy:
Ā
1ļøā£ PAUSE ā Recalibrate Your Energy
ā Take a deep breath.
ā Get centered before you react.
ā Notice how you feel without rushing to fix it.
š¹Ā Why?Ā Because when you pause, you create space for clarity instead of reacting from your conditioned patterns.
Ā
2ļøā£ DONāT ARGUE. DONāT DEFEND.
š« Donāt argue.
š« Donāt defend.
š”Ā The moment you do, youāve been reeled in.
The drama continues, energy drains, and you walk away feeling worse.
š¹Ā What to do instead?Ā Step back.
You donāt have to prove yourself.
You donāt have to convince them.
Your power is in choosing where to place your energy.
Ā
3ļøā£ CALL OUT YOUR OWN CONTROL DRAMA (Internally)
š”Ā Control Dramas lose their power when you bring them into the light.
This isnāt about saying to someone,Ā “You’re in your Control Drama.”
This is about recognizingĀ your ownĀ Control Drama is being activated.
Ask yourself:
ā “What pattern am I slipping into?”
ā “Am I falling into my old habit of reacting, defending, or proving?”
ā “This is a Control Drama. I donāt have to play.”
š¹Ā When you see it in yourself, you stop fueling it.
4ļøā£ CHOOSE A CENTERED RESPONSE (Instead of Reacting, Choose Who You Want to Be)
š”Ā Ask yourself:
“What do I want to feel at the end of this conversation?”
š¹Ā Put that pin in your emotional GPS and start shifting yourself toward it.
š¹Ā Your response should honor what you want to experience.
⨠Instead of matching their energy, hold your own.
⨠Instead of reacting, respond with clarity and self-trust.
⨠Instead of proving your point, choose emotional sovereignty.
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedomsā
to choose oneās attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose oneās own way.”
āĀ Viktor Frankl
šĀ You canāt control what happens to you, but you can always choose how you respond.
Final Thought
Every time you do this, you make anĀ energy depositĀ instead of anĀ energy withdrawal.
ā You stop giving power to Control Dramas.
ā You stop feeding old patterns.
ā You reclaim your ability to lead your own experience.
šĀ What would change for you if you did this just 5% more often?
Ready to Stop Feeling Drained & Start Feeling in Control?
If you’re ready to break free from these exhausting cycles and create relationships that bring you clarity, confidence, and connection, hereās how I can help:
šĀ Join the Wise Loving TribeĀ ā A supportive community where we dive deep into emotional mastery, communication, and healing.
šĀ The School for Transformational HealingĀ ā A life-changing 5-week journey designed to help you break old patterns and build the relationship (and life) you never thought possible.
š Ā One-on-One CoachingĀ ā Personalized guidance tailored to your unique situation, helping you shift from emotional exhaustion to clarity and strength