Attention Seeking Behavior in Adults - Healthline

For adults, attention-seeking behavior is a conscious or unconscious attempt to become the center of attention, sometimes to gain validation ... HealthConditionsFeaturedBreastCancerIBDMigraineMultipleSclerosis(MS)RheumatoidArthritisType2DiabetesSponsoredTopicsArticlesAcidRefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's&DementiaBipolarDisorderCancerCrohn'sDiseaseChronicPainCold&FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeartDiseaseHighCholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkinDisordersandCareSTDsDiscoverWellnessTopicsNutritionFitnessSexualHealthMen'sHealthWomen'sHealthMentalHealthSleepOriginalSeriesFreshFoodFastDiagnosisDiariesYou’reNotAlonePresentTenseVideoSeriesYouthinFocusCrackingtheSleepCodeNoMoreSilenceFutureofHealthPlanHealthChallengesMindfulEatingSugarSavvyMoveYourBodyGutHealthMoodFoodsAlignYourSpineFindCarePrimaryCareMentalHealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyleQuizzesWeightManagementAmIDepressed?AQuizforTeensAreYouaWorkaholic?HowWellDoYouSleep?Tools&ResourcesHealthNewsFindaDietFindHealthySnacksDrugsA-ZHealthA-ZConnectFindYourBezzyCommunityBreastCancerInflammatoryBowelDiseasePsoriaticArthritisMigraineMultipleSclerosisPsoriasisFollowusonsocialmediaShopProductsbyConditionInsomniaStressReliefBackPainNeckPainSleepApneaHotSleepersAllergiesPainReliefProductReviewsVitamins&SupplementsSleepMentalHealthNutritionAt-HomeTestingCBDMen’sHealthWomen’sHealthHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeWhatYouShouldKnowAboutAttention-SeekingBehaviorinAdultsMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyD—WrittenbyScottFrothinghamonFebruary28,2020OverviewExamplesCommoncausesWhattodoTakeawayShareonPinterestWhatisit?Foradults,attention-seekingbehaviorisaconsciousorunconsciousattempttobecomethecenterofattention,sometimestogainvalidationoradmiration.WhatitmaylooklikeAttention-seekingbehaviorcanincludesayingordoingsomethingwiththegoalofgettingtheattentionofapersonoragroupofpeople.Examplesofthisbehaviorinclude:fishingforcomplimentsbypointingoutachievementsandseekingvalidationbeingcontroversialtoprovokeareactionexaggeratingandembellishingstoriestogainpraiseorsympathypretendingtobeunabletodosomethingsosomeonewillteach,help,orwatchtheattempttodoitWhatcancausethisbehavior?Attention-seekingbehaviormaybedrivenby:jealousylowself-esteemlonelinessSometimesattention-seekingbehavioristheresultofclusterBpersonalitydisorders,suchas:histrionicpersonalitydisorderborderlinepersonalitydisordernarcissisticpersonalitydisorderJealousyJealousymaycomeaboutwhensomeonefeelsthreatenedbyanotherpersoncurrentlygettingalltheattention.This,inturn,canleadtoattention-seekingbehaviortochangethefocus.Self-esteemSelf-esteemisabroadtermcoveringavarietyofcomplexmentalstatesinvolvinghowyouviewyourself.Whensomepeoplebelievethatthey’rebeingoverlooked,bringingbackthelostattentionismayfeelliketheonlywaytorestoretheirbalance.Theattentionthattheygetfromthisbehaviormayhelpprovidethemwiththefeelingofreassurancethattheyareworthy.LonelinessAccordingtotheHealthResourcesandServicesAdministration,1in5Americanssaytheyfeellonelyorsociallyisolated.Lonelinesscanresultinanurgetoseekattention,eveninpeoplewhodon’tnormallyexhibitattention-seekingbehavior.HistrionicpersonalitydisorderAccordingtotheNationalLibraryofMedicine,histrionicpersonalitydisorderischaracterizedbyfeelingunderappreciatedwhennotthecenterofattention.Forsomeonetoreceiveadiagnosisofhistrionicpersonalitydisorder,theyneedtomeetatleast5ofthefollowingcriteria:uncomfortablewhennotthecenterofattentionprovocativeorseductivebehaviorshallowandshiftingemotionsusingappearancetodrawattentionvagueorimpressionisticspeechexaggeratedordramaticemotionsissuggestibletreatingrelationshipsasmoreintimatethantheyareBorderlinepersonalitydisorderBorderlinepersonalitydisorderisacontinuingpatternofinstabilityinself-image,interpersonalrelationships,emotion,andimpulsivity.AccordingtotheNationalInstituteofMentalHealth,forsomeonetoreceiveadiagnosisofborderlinepersonalitydisorder,theyneedtodisplayatleast5ofthefollowingcriteria:franticeffortstoavoidrealorimaginedabandonmentapatternofintenseandunstableinterpersonalrelationshipswithextremesbetweendevaluationandidealizationadecidedlyorpersistentlyunstableself-imageorsenseofselfengaginginpotentiallyself-damaging,impulsivebehaviorrecurringself-harmorsuicidalbehavior,includingthreatsorgesturesemotionallyinstabilityindailyreactions,suchasthroughirritability,anxiety,orintensesadnesschronicfeelingsofemptinessinappropriatelyintenseangerthat’softendifficulttocontroltransient,stress-relatedparanoiaordisassociationNarcissisticpersonalitydisorderThosewithnarcissisticpersonalitydisordertypicallyhaveaneedforadmirationwithalackofempathy.AccordingtotheAmericanPsychiatricAssociation,forsomeonetoreceiveadiagnosisofnarcissisticpersonalitydisorder,theyneedtodisplayatleast5ofthefollowingcriteria:agrandiosesenseofself-importanceapreoccupationwithfantasiesofpower,unlimitedsuccess,brilliance,ideallove,beautyabeliefintheirownuniqueness,especiallythattheyshouldonlyassociatewith,andwillonlybeunderstoodby,high-statusinstitutionsandhigh-statuspeopledemandforexcessiveadmirationasenseofentitlementandunreasonableexpectationoffavorabletreatmentorautomaticcompliancewiththeirexpectationstakingadvantageofotherstoachievetheirownendsunwillingnesstoidentifywithorrecognizetheneedsandfeelingsofothersenvyofothersandbeliefthatothersareenviousofthemhaughty,arrogantattitudesorbehaviorsWhatyoucandoaboutitIfyounoticethisbehaviorisconstantlyrecurring,it’sprobablybestforthepersondisplaythebehaviortovisitanexperiencedmentalhealthprofessional.Ifleftunchecked,attention-seekingbehaviorcanoftenbecomemanipulativeorotherwiseharmful.ThebottomlineAttention-seekingbehaviormaystemfromjealousy,lowself-esteem,loneliness,orasaresultofapersonalitydisorder.Ifyounoticethisbehaviorinyouorsomeoneelse,amentalhealthprofessionalcanprovidediagnosisandtreatmentoptions.LastmedicallyreviewedonFebruary28,202013sourcescollapsedHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.BaileyJA.(2003).Thefoundationofself-esteem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2594522/Borderlinepersonalitydisorder.(2017). nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtmlDSM-IVandDSM-5criteriaforthepersonalitydisorders.(2012).nyu.edu/gsas/dept/philo/courses/materials/Narc.Pers.DSM.pdfErzenE,etal.(2018).Theeffectoflonelinessondepression:Ameta-analysis.DOI:10.1177/0020764018776349FrenchJH,etal.(2019).Histrionicpersonalitydisorder. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542325/HuelsnitzCO,etal.(2018).Attachmentandjealousy:Understandingthedynamicexperienceofjealousyusingtheresponseescalationparadigm.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29771201The"lonelinessepidemic".(2019).hrsa.gov/enews/past-issues/2019/january-17/loneliness-epidemicMayoClinicStaff.(2016).Personalitydisorders.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354463MayoClinicStaff.(2017).Narcissisticpersonalitydisorder.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20366662Personalitydisorders.(n.d.).hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/personality-disordersRamachandranVS,etal.(2017).Theevolutionarypsychologyofenvyandjealousy. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5609545/SingerC.(2018).Healtheffectsofsocialisolationandloneliness. aginglifecarejournal.org/health-effects-of-social-isolation-and-loneliness/YanguasJ,etal.(2018).Thecomplexityofloneliness. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179015/FEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyD—WrittenbyScottFrothinghamonFebruary28,2020ReadthisnextWhatYouNeedtoKnowAboutBorderlinePersonalityDisorderandRelationshipsMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDBorderlinepersonalitydisorderandrelationshipscanbeacomplicatedmix.BeingawareoftheimpactofBPD,seekingprofessionalhelp,andoffering…READMOREHowtoTreatNarcissisticPersonalityDisorderMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDNarcissisticbehaviorscanaffectyourrelationshipsandqualityoflife.Buttherapiescanhelpyoulearntochangethesebehaviors.READMOREWhatIsSplittinginBorderlinePersonalityDisorder(BPD)?MedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDBPDischaracterizedbyextremesinthewayapersonthinks,feels,andacts.PeoplewithBPDoftenformextremecharacterizationsaboutthemselves…READMOREWhatIsNarcissisticRage,andWhat’stheBestWaytoDealwithIt?MedicallyreviewedbyJenniferLitner,PhD,LMFT,CSTExperiencingorwitnessinganarcissisticragecanbeafrighteningexperience.Understandwhatfuelstheanger,howtoprotectyourself,andhowto…READMOREAllAboutQuietBPD(BorderlinePersonalityDisorder)QuietBorderlinePersonalityDisorder(BPD)isatheoryofBPDwheremoodswingsandbehaviorsaredirectedinward,ratherthanouttowardsothers.READMORENarcissisticPersonalityDisorder(NPD)MedicallyreviewedbyKendraKubala,PsyDPeoplewithnarcissisticpersonalitydisorder(NPD)haveaninflatedopinionofthemselves.Learnaboutsymptoms,diagnosis,andcopingwithNPD.READMOREWhatIsaPsychopath?MedicallyreviewedbyJeffreyDitzell,DOPsychopathandsociopatharecommonterms,butyoucan'tbediagnosedas“apsychopath.”Learnwhyandwhattoknowaboutantisocialpersonality…READMORE9TipsforDealingwithSomeone'sNarcissisticPersonalityTraitsMedicallyreviewedbyKendraKubala,PsyDDealingwithsomeonewhohasanarcissisticpersonalitycanbeachallenge.We'llgiveyouninetipsforcopingandhelpyourecognizewhenit'stime…READMOREBorderlinePersonalityDisorderMedicallyreviewedbyKarinGepp,PsyDPeoplelivingwithBPDhavedifficultyprocessingormanagingtheiremotions.Learnmoreaboutitssymptoms,causes,andtreatment.READMORE