'Attention seeking' is a term that is often used in a derogatory context. I've frequently heard people say things such as:
"S/he is only doing that to attention seek!"
"S/he is an attention seeker because they cut themselves."
"S/he isn't really suicidal - they only took those tablets because they are an attention seeker."
I'm not innocent - I'm also guilty of using the term in a negative way in the past. But I've been thinking recently, is attention seeking really a bad thing?
If, for example, it turns out that somebody is using self harm as a form of gaining attention, should they really be considered 'time wasters' and 'fakes'? If they are harming themselves in order to gain attention, that obviously means that they're lacking positive attention in another part of their life.
If somebody feels the need to go the extreme of harming their own body just so that somebody will take notice of them, they are obviously extremely lonely and unhappy with their life.
Next time you decide to call somebody out on their 'attention seeking' behaviours, or decide to humiliate them and belittle their struggles due to the fact that you think they are only acting in that way to get people to look at them - please think about this. Before you accuse them of attention seeking, first think to yourself, why are they attention seeking in the first place? Maybe they just need a friend or somebody who will listen to them whilst they vent about their struggles.
'Attention seeking' doesn't have to be a derogatory term.
