KOCHI: Getting attention can make you feel good, while rejection can be frustrating. However, desperately seeking attention beyond reasonable limits may be pathological. It can either be consciously scripted or an unconscious expression of a fragile mind.
Social media has created platforms for such individuals to express themselves without inhibitions. Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube have provided spaces and shortcuts for those yearning for attention.
Addictive reel life
A vibrant youth may believe that the only way to make one’s presence felt among people is by creating attention-grabbing reels. The number of likes, comments, and shares makes the person feel worthy and happy. One’s focus is solely on content that conquers attention, with no concern for the message it conveys.
A drop in likes leaves one sad and frustrated, pushing one into risky or embarrassing ventures. The only thrill lies in seeing one’s creations go viral in the digital space. Eventually, a paradoxical cut-off from real life becomes evident as one becomes immersed in reel-making addiction.
Mad rush for attention
It is acceptable to pursue constructive digital goals as long as life’s priorities are not drowned and a craving for attention does not emerge. However, when the sole motive becomes a mad rush for attention, the editor within the mind is put to sleep. The result may be toxic content that sends harmful messages to the audience.
Displaying behaviour that violates the law, depicting dangerous actions, and offering opinions that harm social life or individuals have become common. Some new-generation ‘opinion makers’ and influencers are not as harmless as they appear. In their pursuit of ego-boosting adventures, some vloggers have become dangerous models of anarchy. Their body language, gestures, and foul actions have invited legal consequences.
Socially committed efforts in this space are often overshadowed by the stupidity of attention-seeking and profit-making schemes. Having a YouTube channel is seen as trendy. However, several thousand likes and shares do not necessarily endorse the appropriateness of the content or the creator’s healthy attitude.
Are they histrionic, borderline, or narcissistic?
Let’s consider some psychiatric conditions where attention-seeking traits are evident.
Individuals with histrionic personality disorder exhibit behaviour that compels others to notice them. They constantly seek attention and become uncomfortable when they are not the centre of it. Their emotions may appear shallow and change rapidly. Their speech is vague, lacking in detail, and they are easily influenced by others or circumstances.
Such individuals may act dramatically, to the point of embarrassing others. When reflecting on these traits, you might think of certain friends or even popular vloggers. In reality, their true selves may not align with these displays — they might consciously be putting on a show to gain viewership and money.
In borderline personality disorder, self-harming attempts, suicidal gestures, and impulsive, self-damaging behaviour may be driven by a craving for attention, usually rooted in insecurity or feelings of rejection.
This can often be seen in stalkers or cyberbullies.
The constant need for admiration and the self-projection of superiority exhibited by individuals with narcissistic personality disorder is also rooted in the desire to be the centre of attention. These ‘pseudo-celebrities’ may flood the digital space with self-pompous content.
Social media garbage
The driving force behind attention-seeking behaviour in many may stem from low self-esteem, hidden feelings of inferiority, insecurity, or jealousy towards those receiving appreciation. When this becomes an excessive or irrational activity, it may signal a mental health issue that requires professional intervention.
In a world culture that, to some extent, endorses online attention-seeking practices, it is essential to self-assess whether one is veering into pathological territory.
Likewise, those who blindly follow or share such content must critically ask themselves if they are becoming part of a chain of nonsense initiated by an attention seeker. This could prevent the spread of social media garbage, which is fast becoming a menace of our times.