Attention Seeking

[Anonymous]

I have discovered something about myself over the past couple of months. I am an attention seeker. I'm not sure why, but after looking at behaviour I have exhibited in early life and behaviour I am exhibiting at the moment, I can only conclude that I do the majority of it to gain attention.

An example of this would be when I was younger I used to try ridiculously hard at school and get next to or complete full marks so that other people would notice it and comment on it. Over time I simply got the same comments and got bored of it, thus I stopped trying so hard at school. I mean there's only so many times you can hear "Good job on the great marks" and still feel satisfied

Then lately Ive been doing things specifically to get attention from other people. For instance I stopped eating for a couple of days to try to become anorexic so that people would take notice. I actually had a thought process in my head where I thought "If I stop eating, then I am controlling what I eat and can start eating again once I've been to hospital a couple of times". Luckily I realised how stupid that thought process is, and was able to listen to people on the net that anorexia isnt that simple

A few weeks ago I went to a party and my thought process before and during was "If I drink enough, I'm sure to burst into tears, and it'll be pretty hard to ignore me then". So that's exactly what I did. I drank a bottle of vodka and burst out crying in front of people I hardly knew at all. Well I got the attention I craved, but then was even sadder cos the people I wanted to notice me (those who I thought were really good friends) didnt even come out to see what was wrong. (To be fair, my good friend was incredibly drunk as well and the others were trying to comfort her)

Then at another party (one with my best friend who I had wanted to notice me) I got increidbly drunk again with the same intention in mind. It got the same reaction, although at least this time I had the people I want to notice me, notice me, and the men I'm friends with comforting me and making sure I'm alright.

But anyway, the upshot is, I do things to get attention, and I don't know if I want to anymore. I mean, when I came here I created a persona to make myself more interesting than I actually am so that ppl would remember me. It's frustrating

How do I stop from being an attention seeker?

(btw, the reason I made this anonymously was because I figured if I made it with my actual profile, people would then think I was just trying to get more attention. )

[Gamer am I]

I'm in the same boat as you. My guess is that your self esteem may be low, and you seek attention because it makes you feel wanted. If that's the case, then try figuring out what is causing your self-esteem to be so low.

[CrimsonThunder]

Try to find better ways to get attention.

- Clean the house
- Make some good threads on the forum
- Buy something for a friend.

Heaps of things that don't make you look like an attention seeker.

[Kimi]

I kinda did when I was younger...and I guess I still do bit.

But I usually fail to get attention, so I try not to and even if I did and failed to get attention I try to remember how miserbly I failed so I won't do it again.

But I think CrimsonThunder gave good advices. Try to get attention by different action.
You don't need to cry in front of people who doesn't know you well at party to get attention.

I think trying hard in school is pretty good one. Do something noticable.
I like watching people(in good way not, strange way) so I notice if they changes hair style bit or wears new clothes, etc...But usually people doesn't notice those stuff at all.

Make good thread a lot on EC, that sure will get you attention:)

[xxAngelOnFirexx]

i'm in the opposite boat as you. i try everything i can no to get attention. then people say i'm an attention seeker. i try to dress the way i like to sorta make people stay away from me and all they do is stare and comment on it. also i try to not get attention and not talk about how i feel and deal with it my cutting and eating disorder then i have all these people saying i'm just trying to get attention when i didn't talk so i wouldn't. its absolutely misreable. i hide behind my hair not to be seen then i get all this bull about hiding my pretty face. its awful. i dunno i guess i sorta have rage for attention seekers because everyone thinks i am one and they make me look bad. u don't need attention. if you deserved it you would get it. try and deserve it. then u genuinly get it then you be happy. problem sovled. u say u are sad because u seek attention. then my god just stop!

[Anonymous]

hmm, I'm also sort of in the opposite boat, I don't really like the attention, I like to just be left unnoticed =/

[Anonymous]

hmm, I'm also sort of in the opposite boat, I don't really like the attention, I like to just be left unnoticed =/
Ditto. I hate attention. I won an award for a theatre thing I did, and I contentiously didn't go and tell anyone about it.

Then my mom started telling people, and it was like :icon_redf

[Anonymous]

I have the same issue!
Except I don't starve myself or drink in excess or anything like that.

But I LOVE attention; good attention at least. Lol.

I tried using the forum but even that didn't get me all the attention I crave.

So I give up dang it.
I'm just not all that interesting which is ok I guess; hopefully I'll get over it soon ya know?

[-Michael-]

In my opinion attention seeking comes from something unsaid...


When i was 'in the closet' i kinda used to be an attention seeker...

just so i could talk about myself and wanting to tell people about my sexuality.

But now im fine. :)

Just think what you might have to say. :) And say it

[Smiley1123]

Try to do things to give you positive attention.

- Do a walk to help cure a disease, when you ask for donations people will say thank you and it'll give you great positive attention.

- Do some chores around the house without you're parents having to ask you.

etc.