Look at me! I am the best!
There are numerous things in the world that need attention and the past posts have been on environment that needs our attention but this post is going to be about a different type of attention-seekers.
Remember your cousin’s wedding when you were 8 years old, the videographer was your guru, you kept running in front of the camera hoping to be there on all shots and at the same time trying to act cool! Remember when you were in a minor accident and blew it out of proportion when you were in 4th standard? I am sure everyone of you has had such moments (me included! Yes I was the one who wanted to be on all photos during my uncle’s wedding!!) but at some point of time you grow over it. Was it at adolescence? teenage years? When did you realize attention-seeking was bad and tried to behave? How did it happen? Did mom and dad give you a big lecture or did your friends say what a big show-off you were? When did you realize the world does not revolve around you and your so-called success stories? It just happens and I guess it is tough to pin-point a time or incident that changed.
Well this post is not on the lil ones that seek attention but the rather grown-up attention seekers. I am no psychiatrist but I do recognize symptoms of attention seeking when I see it. Attention-seekers (henceforth called AS! Well just add another ‘s’!) are going to love this as I am doing what the AS’s really want – giving them attention in my blog!Believe me acting coy and putting up a drama when you are a grown-up looks bad. Yes we’ll need a bit of attention and pampering from friends and family, but there are limits to which you can seek attention. Strangers/acquaintances will not put up with your attention seeking tactics. And when there is one AS in a group of acquaintances there is an underlying tension you wish to get away but cannot, you look at each other in uneasy comfort while the AS goes on! Interrupting conversations, acting all-knowledgeable, being rude come easily to such people and causing discomfort to others. Do AS’s realize what they are doing? Do they know how unfriendly and unsocial they become because of their behavior?
I did a bit of googling and found some interesting facts. Attention-seekers are mostly females! And there are many methods AS’s use to gain attention, like acting as a sufferer, the savior, the rescuer, the drama queen, the busy bee, the victim and the list goes on. Hmm sounds familiar?
Now how do we deal with a grown-up AS? Any suggestions?
Remember your cousin’s wedding when you were 8 years old, the videographer was your guru, you kept running in front of the camera hoping to be there on all shots and at the same time trying to act cool! Remember when you were in a minor accident and blew it out of proportion when you were in 4th standard? I am sure everyone of you has had such moments (me included! Yes I was the one who wanted to be on all photos during my uncle’s wedding!!) but at some point of time you grow over it. Was it at adolescence? teenage years? When did you realize attention-seeking was bad and tried to behave? How did it happen? Did mom and dad give you a big lecture or did your friends say what a big show-off you were? When did you realize the world does not revolve around you and your so-called success stories? It just happens and I guess it is tough to pin-point a time or incident that changed.
Well this post is not on the lil ones that seek attention but the rather grown-up attention seekers. I am no psychiatrist but I do recognize symptoms of attention seeking when I see it. Attention-seekers (henceforth called AS! Well just add another ‘s’!) are going to love this as I am doing what the AS’s really want – giving them attention in my blog!Believe me acting coy and putting up a drama when you are a grown-up looks bad. Yes we’ll need a bit of attention and pampering from friends and family, but there are limits to which you can seek attention. Strangers/acquaintances will not put up with your attention seeking tactics. And when there is one AS in a group of acquaintances there is an underlying tension you wish to get away but cannot, you look at each other in uneasy comfort while the AS goes on! Interrupting conversations, acting all-knowledgeable, being rude come easily to such people and causing discomfort to others. Do AS’s realize what they are doing? Do they know how unfriendly and unsocial they become because of their behavior?
I did a bit of googling and found some interesting facts. Attention-seekers are mostly females! And there are many methods AS’s use to gain attention, like acting as a sufferer, the savior, the rescuer, the drama queen, the busy bee, the victim and the list goes on. Hmm sounds familiar?
Now how do we deal with a grown-up AS? Any suggestions?
Pooh
April 27, 2007 at 6:17 pmthanks for your input Kavi.. your advise seems great but I have known it to backfire at cases.. like you ignore an AS and their stories and rudeness increases proportionally!
Kavi
April 27, 2007 at 6:14 pmIn my experience attention seekers get turned on or turned off by ‘attention’!
On if they get. Off if they dont ! Now, it depends on whether you would want them to be on or off ! 🙂