Attention seeker, drama queen, prima donna… you’ve probably heard these names before, but have you ever been described as one? There’s nothing wrong with liking a little attention. But if you constantly respond to situations in a melodramatic way, you may have developed a reputation for yourself. Below, we discuss how to recognize if you’re an attention seeker and why you should calm down before you cause too much drama, even for your liking.
- You wanted to be the center of attention as a kid. You were the kid who always wanted to be used as an example in class or needed to score the leading role in the school play. People may have found your antics cute as a child, but they likely haven’t aged well now that you’re grown-up.
- You have a large social circle and long dating history. You likely have (or want) a large following on social media. You maintain a large group of friends, and always seem to be dating someone new. The more people in your life, the more opportunities for attention. But being an attention seeker also makes it difficult to get close to people, so be careful that your friendships don’t have a high turnover rate.
- You’re controversial on social media. You love that you can cause a reaction online with a few clicks of a button, whether positive or negative. You’re prone to sharing sexy selfies or unpopular opinions in hopes of getting people talking in the comments. Just remember that the internet always keeps receipts.
- You have a habit of embellishing stories. You love telling a good story and aren’t afraid to add a bit to the narrative to make it more interesting. The crazier the story, the more attention you’ll get, right? But exaggerating details can easily turn into lying, and the more lies you tell, the harder it is to keep everything straight. It’s better to stop before you get called out.
- Your exes would describe you as a drama queen. If all your exes would agree you brought unnecessary drama to the relationship, then chances are you’re an attention seeker. You thrive on drama. So, if you don’t have anyone else’s to revel in, you’ll create your own – even at the expense of your significant other. Remember, being a drama queen makes it difficult to maintain relationships, romantic and otherwise.
- You’ll pretend you can’t do something. You have no problem dumbing yourself down just to get someone’s attention. You’ll literally pretend you don’t know how to do something in hopes they’ll teach you or do it for you. But if you’re constantly selling yourself short, people won’t respect you the way you want them to (and deserve). That’s especially true once they catch onto your games.
- You expect the VIP treatment. You may not be a celebrity, but you have the attitude of one. You expect the very best at all times, and you’re not afraid to get vocal if your expectations aren’t met. You’re the type who’s likely to cause a scene. But in your mind, it just makes for a great story that will get you even more attention in the future.
- You rarely ask about other people’s lives. It’s not that you don’t care about your loved ones. The problem is that you’re too me-focused. You always find some way to make the conversation about you. When someone is talking, you’re not giving them your full attention. If your friends have called you out on this, make sure to take them seriously. People won’t stick around if they feel the relationship is one-sided.
- You have no shame fishing for compliments. You love when people sing your praise and have no problem pushing for more attention. You’ll be critical of your looks or abilities in hopes the people around you will build you up. But be careful – most people can see right through this.
- You spend way too much time on your looks. You like to dress and act in a certain way to attract attention. There’s nothing wrong with investing in your appearance, but you take things to the next level. You’ll refuse to go out if you’re not all done up, and you spend way too much money on your looks. Being so vain only feeds your insecurities, which causes you to seek even more attention in order to feel validated.
Being an attention seeker doesn’t make you a bad person. But it should make you question why you seek it out in the first place. If your drama-loving ways are interfering with your relationships and stopping you from enjoying life, then it’s time for a change. Start by figuring out why being the center of attention makes you feel validated, and then discover healthier ways of feeling fulfilled. We can’t promise it’ll be easy, but it will change your life.