"Mental Illness is attention seeking"

Depression is a silent illness. We put on our face and hide our pain from the world the best we can. In turn many people believe that depression can be easily overcome, as if it stems from a bad day at work and not a mental dysfunction.

It can only be really understood by someone who's experienced it for themselves.

 

People who say that are just really obsessed with themselves. They love attention and will hate it when anyone else get it. He's an ass obsessed with himself. Trying to explain his humanity (or lack of it) is like trying to explain how to keep the shores upon the sand; sorta impossible. He will live his life damned to be an ass...while you will live your life getting healthier and happier.
It's good that you're getting therapy, I have friends that I can clearly tell need help but don't go.
If you ever are struggling, message me because I'm here.

 

You don't have to explain anything to the person who made that comment. The brain is an organ every bit as much as the heart or the liver are.

 

The person who commented sounds pretty bitter, maybe they were trying to take something out on you that reflects something in their own life. :dry:

They know nothing about you... rendering their opinion stupid and invalid. :rolle:

 

Depression is a very real and misunderstood disease. I have been fighting mine for more than 25 years. I may never win, but I refuse to lose! I have used therapy, cutting, starving, overeating, acohol, promiscuity, excessively sleeping, medications, and many other means to fight it. Not everyone is going to understand and who gives a crap what they think anyways! Just chalk it up to their ignorance and lack of class. I have found that journal writing, vitamins, and getting out into the world helpd me. I no longer let myself wallow in it for more than a day. Sometimes you need that one day to lay around here eating comfort food and watching guilty pleasure tv. After that get up, shake it off, make yourself do something small at first. It really does help. Therapy and meds help too. And disregard the illinformed opinions of the ignorant. Love, Mama

 

You don't need to justify squat to him with education on the intricacies of therapy and why somebody would go. His attitude is one of somebody who doesn't know and is fully happy with his preconceived notions.

Personally, I think delusion is a worse mental condition than depression. And so few people ever get treatment. :/

 

my brother said something like that to me along the same lines, i pity him in fact.

 

Clinical depression is not just being a little down. Anyone that assumes that is ignorant. Did I try to kill myself to get attention? It was an attempt to stop severe emotional pain. Taking positive baby steps really does help. Ignoring ignorant people also helps.

 

i also have had problems with depression. i am also bipolar. i tried killing myself. i don't see how that's attention seeking. i don't want to have these problems. i don't want to have to take meds that keep me from going insane. people just don't understand. they think that just because they don't have these problems, they don't exist.

there is actually science behind depression, but these people are too stupid to understand it. depression (in most cases) is caused by insufficient serotonin levels in the brain. serotonin is a hormone that makes you feel happiness. when you don't have enough, you feel depressed (thus the name depression). it's really not that complicated, people are just to stupid/ignorant to understand it.

it's all ignorance, and the best thing to do is ignore them (though quite honestly, they deserve a good punch in the face).

 

Ignore the prick.

It isn't attention seeking, although at times you may want to seek attention if you need help, such as a hospitalization, or increased frequency with therapy.

Just ignore him. Not many understand.

 

He's an idiot,
No one who hasn't experienced depression can know what it's like. Good for you for getting help, I was never able to do that

---------- Post added 24th Jun 2013 at 11:46 PM ----------

Agreed

 

Also, what's so bad about seeking attention? I don't get why people act like wanting attention is so terrible. There are a lot worse things to be than attention seeking. A lot better to crave attention than to be abusive, for example.

The real question should be - what do they want attention for? I mean, a lot of times attention seekers have serious unmet needs, and that's why they're seeking attention. For example, children who were emotionally neglected can often be attention seekers, because they're trying to make up for the affection they missed out on.

I mean, most people who get called attention seekers aren't. But even if you were an attention seeker, that wouldn't make you a horrible person. It would just be one flaw, and a fairly minor one at that.

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Part of the reason why I never spoke up about the issues I was having -- or even tried to engage socially at all -- was that I was afraid of "seeking attention." It wasn't entirely in my head, either; I do want attention. I want friends. I want to be able to have a good relationship with my family. I would love to have a girlfriend. And sometimes I just want a group of people to hang out and play Mario Kart with. All of these are types of attention, yet they're nothing to be ashamed of.

 

Claiming someone is attention seeking is insulting because it trivializes the issue. It's like a musician who works day and night at music because they feel it in their bones getting told "You're only in it for the money." Yeah, money and attention are great, but they are shallow goals compared to the real reasons. To ignore that reason is inexcusably misguided.

 

I don't condone violence, I am not a physical altercation person...but I would've punched the kid in the face.

Same time, as others have said, with mental illness sometimes to get help you need to seek attention. It's why mental illness is often known as "invisible."

But the kid was still a twerp.

 

To be fair, I can easily understand why he said that. There are just SO many people everywhere that complain about how they're so depressed, how they hate their life, how they hate the way they look etc, when in reality, they don't think that and just want attention. The thing is, is that the ones who truly feel that way almost always keep quiet about it, even though they're the ones who need the esteem boost. I find it's only the ones in therapy who can actually talk about their issues, and even then they usually aren't comfortable with it.

Sorry to hear what he said, and I hope things are going well for you in therapy, ignore his comment. Ignorance is a blindfold.

All the best.

 

I believe cutting and eating disorders usually are a cry for attention. But this type of attention is more of a cry for "Help".

So though you may not be trying to get attention, the fact you cut yourself and have an eating disorder means you are depressed and are going to get attention for it. There is nothing wrong with wanting help, and though you may not feel you want attention, you definately do want it in the form of human sympathy. Which is perfectly normal.

Everyone wants attention and it is hard for some people to differentiate between people that are being "attention whores" and people that are being legit and want help.

People that threaten suicide to others are no different, I've done it, it is a call for Attention to your problem; your depression.

*** To be clear not saying you cut to get attention, just saying the fact you cut does mean you need some kind of human sympathy or contact and do desire that. Attention is a finnicky word because it covers any kind of interaction between people besides maybe ignorance.