Histrionic personality disorder is a type of personality disorder that is characterized by attention-seeking behavior. If you have histrionic personality disorder, you may be very suggestible and act in a very dramatic or attention seeking way.
Causes of Attention-Seeking Behavior
People with a narcissistic personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder, in particular, often display attention-seeking behaviors. Other mental health conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder could also cause a person to display attention-seeking behaviors.
ADHD. There's a relationship between ADHD and attention seeking, as attention-seeking behavior is a symptom of the disorder. Teens with ADHD tend to act out more and be more impulsive and hyperactive. Attention seeking is an expression of what's going on inside of them.
Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is a mental health condition marked by unstable emotions, a distorted self-image and an overwhelming desire to be noticed. People with HPD often behave dramatically or inappropriately to get attention.
The ADHD nervous system is rarely at rest. It wants to be engaged in something interesting and challenging. Attention is never “deficit.” It is always excessive, constantly occupied with internal reveries and engagements.
OCPD traits include preoccupation and insistence on details, rules, lists, order and organisation; perfectionism that interferes with completing tasks; excessive doubt and exercising caution; excessive conscientiousness, as well as rigidity and stubbornness.
Type As can also be dangerous to narcissists
Although they can be targeted, type A people can also become a narcissist's worst nightmare. One of the most important defenses against dark personalities is having strong boundaries yourself, and type A people are usually aware they have the right to build them.
Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They need and seek too much attention and want people to admire them. People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others.
A person who seeks attention constantly is not necessarily suffering from narcissism. While attention-seeking is one of the main symptoms of narcissism, it can be caused by other factors as well. Low self-esteem and loneliness are two possible causes of this behavior that do not fall under narcissism.
The problem is, ignoring a child's “attention seeking” behaviour doesn't stop their need. In fact ignoring a child's need for attention usually means that they will become more desperate for attention and the behaviour will escalate. They will do what they need to until they get the attention they are looking for.
There are several other behavioral and mental health disorders that have attention-seeking behavior as a characteristic. These include: Bipolar disorder9.
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active.
People with NPD expect admiration because they have an inflated sense of self-worth, while people with HPD crave general attention to avoid feelings of discomfort. These two conditions can occur together. They are both treated with talk therapy, but different approaches may be emphasized.
Although narcissists act superior, entitled and boastful, underneath their larger-than-life facade lies their greatest fear: That they are ordinary. For narcissists, attention is like oxygen. Narcissists believe only special people get attention.
It comes hand-in-hand with this that narcissists hate being criticised or called out. Which is exactly why there's one word in particular narcissistic people cannot stand: "no".
OCD: An Expression of Anxiety that Affects Functioning
Rumination, or the experience of being unable to stop thinking about something, is just one example of what doctors might term OCD.
Ongoing anxiety or stress, or being part of a stressful event like a car accident or starting a new job, could trigger OCD or make it worse. Pregnancy or giving birth can sometimes trigger perinatal OCD.
An ADHD brain ? processes thoughts differently.
So, when we're in the middle of a conflict, it can be hard to keep calm and think straight. We can feel extreme guilt, anger, sadness, or anxiety, and it can be hard to manage everything we're feeling.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
“Opposites Attract”: People with ADHD are attracted to “organized” and joyless workers bees who can keep the trains running for the both of them and who in turn are drawn to their free-spirited ADHD partner's spontaneity and sense of fun.