Q: I have some questions about drama queens and narcissists. Please explain the difference between the two and the effect they both have on those at work.

A: According to Mark Goulston, M.D., psychiatrist, consultant, and author of "Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone" (Amacom 2015), a person who shows an excessive and inappropriate amount of emotion in nearly every instance is often clinically referred to as a histrionic personality. "Drama queen" is a term often used by frustrated, or perhaps even amused, people when dealing with such a person. This term can come under the act of name-calling, which places the person into a negative grouping. It's not part of psychiatric terminology (professionals use the DSM-5), but everyone has an image of the type of person who flamboyantly and dramatically exaggerates nearly everything — situations, relationships, material possessions, personalities and appearances. Nothing in that person's conversational repertoire would be described as average. A person who is wealthy might be described as "filthy rich." An attractive person might be called "drop-dead beautiful." Since we are focusing on the workplace, a person who discovers a mistake made by someone else might draw excessive to it by blurting out, "Can you believe how stupid he/she is?"

This style of communication is to overemphasize everything, whether negative or positive. It's a manipulative and attention-grabbing device the drama queen uses to continually have the focus or to be the star of the group. At its best, it can be entertaining. At its worst, it can start rumors, damage reputations and contribute to gossip. Though exaggeration works well in comedy, a drama queen has little credibility at work because people no longer take the person seriously.

Narcissism is more serious, as it is a personality disorder, and working for or with a narcissistic personality can range from annoying to frustrating to frightening. Goulston says, "Narcissists (who are not sociopaths) have a moral compass in that they know right from wrong and conform to it, not because they care about other people, but because they don't want to pay the consequences. All sociopaths are narcissists, but not all narcissists are sociopaths.

"Narcissists feel entitled to do and act however they want, and they abide by laws, but not based on empathy. If you go against a narcissist, he or she may often get angry and retaliate (known in its extreme form as narcissistic rage), regardless of your innocence. They can be well-mannered and quite charming if it serves them, and high-functioning narcissists can turn it on and turn it off."

A final tip Goulston offers is never to expect a narcissist to do anything for you that he or she doesn't want to do. If you press the person on it, you are likely to unleash a reaction that could damage your future at work. The narcissist will not forget what you have done to upset them, and neither will you.

Email your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @TheLindseyNovak. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.