Cries for Attention.

How many of you have heard the statistics about current eating disorders, self-mutilation, underage drinking, suicidal tendencies, promiscuity, underage smoking, underage sex and so much more? I would bet my whole mibba account that you’d, at least, heard one statistic concerning any of the said matters.

I’ve seen and heard many people get angry when told that people do this for attention. I believe that they take it completely the wrong way. People do do this for attention. There is no denying it.

But do you realise that they’re crying out for help, for love, for someone to notice that they’re not okay, to be heard, to not feel invisible? Even when they’ve convinced themselves that they don’t need or want anyone; they do. They need someone to walk through their black and grey world and be their colour. For someone to turn a light on in their dark world.

Now that we’ve established that these people need attention, why aren’t you realising that they don’t need to be smacked on the hand told to just stop? I hear and see constant reprimands for this behaviour. If someone would just sit down and listen to them then, maybe, you can help them. You cannot judge someone without knowing their story, their emotions, their thoughts and so much more.

You are not them; therefore you, or anyone else, cannot tell them that it’s easy to stop whatever they’re doing. You cannot chastise them for what they are doing either.

Do you have that one girl at school that seems to get all the attention from the boys? And are there many rumours that she sleeps around with everyone? I bet people say she’s doing it for attention.

And guess what? They’re right!

She might be doing this because of a troubled home-life, a horrible or no father-figure, traumatic experience, an irresponsible mother. Or maybe she seems to have a perfect life, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel secluded.

Some don’t know how to get the attention, love, help that they crave. So this is their way of expressing what they mean and how they feel. You need to look deeper than their actions, think twice even.

A lot of this has been generalised and not everyone is like this, I realise this. But, as a whole, this is how the world is currently being perceived by younger generations and older generations. This has become so normal that these cases are now a way of life. Not rare anymore, but normal.

Do you still think that saying someone is an attention seeker should be used in such vain? Do you still think that people should just be told that they have to stop and if they don’t they’ll be in trouble or something?