adrift in a world of my own: Some Features of High Maintenance People

1.    They generally believe that their needs are urgent. This is true for even the smallest things … and often it appears as if their needs are endless.

2.    They demonstrate a sense of entitlement. Nothing but the best will do for them, and they expect their requests to be prioritised.

3.    They have often experienced an injustice (or a trauma) in their childhood. This creates a sense of debt they think the world now owes them – a debt they expect others to continually repay.

4.    They are impossible to please. There is always something wrong, or disappointing to this person. No matter what you do, they’ll always grouch, complain and whine.

5.    In most cases, they are highly-strung. Not every high strung person is high maintenance. But many are quite vocal and are hard to be around.

6.    Their life is a series of mini-dramas. Throughout the day they will have numerous mini meltdowns – and usually over things that others see as “no big deal.”

7.    They place a lot of importance on their value and status. This is often related to their assumed entitlement. Thus, they expect certain treatment, rights and privileges.

8.    They are obsessed with comparisons. They love extravagance and luxury, and want to know how they compare with everyone else.

9.    They are never contented and at peace with how things are. Even if they’ve lived somewhere for years and years, they’re always planning changes – or buying something new - or just griping and complaining about the way things are.

10. They are highly critical of others. They hold other people to unreasonable standards … which are subjective, external and arbitrary. Their views and opinions are clearly all that matter – and they believe that they are right – and other people are just wrong!