Causes of attention seeking behavior

I’ve wondered what causes some people, especially adults to constantly display attention seeking behavior. I have known people in the past who would always complain constantly if something didn’t go their way, constantly brag, play the victem, could never be wrong, and just act very dramatic. They also blame their failures on others. Is it caused by poor childhood? Could neglect cause it? I know everyone can display attention seeking behavior from time to time, usually during a brief bad period in their life, but I believe it is a problem when it is chronic, especially in adulthood.

Also they try to guilt trip people by reverse psychology and other manipulative ways. They also tend to think people like them or feel closer to them than others really do. They have a sense of entitlement and believe they can force their presence on others and seem clueless when they are not wanted. They tend to act arrogent, stuck up and self centered and seem to either have no clue or don’t care. Another trait is trying to one up others and even fish for compliments and even sympathy.

Also they can be extremely quick to anger and feel the need to be condenscending or in a sense treat others like they are children to them. Could behavior like this be a sign of a serious disorder like Narcissism or even Histronic? I know a couple people who have all of these traits I have discribed, which turns people away and then they can’t understand why people can’t seem to tolerate them for long.

All of these traits along with starting drama or looking for sympathy can be exhausting to deal with. Have you known people that were like this? I do believe people who are like this their whole lives have something wrong with them, otherwise they wouldn’t feel the need to get attention. I believe someone who does not have a disorder or was not neglected normally would not be this way for life.

It does sound like Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) (likely comorbid with histrionic, as you suggest). I grew up with a mother like that, and it did a lot of damage to me. Yes, they probably were damaged as children, and you can feel compassion for the children they were. But, as adults, unless they are self-aware and in therapy (rare) they won’t hesitate to hurt you if they feel they can get something out of it. I would recommend keeping far away. It’s almost impossible to get through to them, because any suggestion that they are doing anything wrong would be likely to cause them a narcissistic injury, and they will turn it back on you and make you out to be a terrible person.

An NPD mother is happy to turn her children against one another, even as adults, in order to get the narcissistic supply from some of her children sympathising with her over the “bad behaviour” that she paints the scapegoat with.

If a mother is prepared to go that far for narcissistic supply, imagine what someone could do to “friends” and/or lovers?!

Good point about feeling compassion for the children they were and recognizing the danger of the adults they are. Definitely best to stay away from these people.

I totally agree, people who are attention seekers can dispose family and friends at no cost with little to no remorse.

I agree.