Personality Disorders & Attention-Seeking Behavior

In the last few decades, counselors, psychologists, and doctors alike have attempted to classify a variety of disorders, including personality disorders, with more specificity and a hierarchy of criteria. These efforts have culminated in the DSM5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition). 

The DSM states, “Personality disorders are associated with ways of thinking and feeling about oneself and others that significantly and adversely affect how an individual functions in many aspects of life” [2]. 

Attention-seeking behavior falls within the 10 distinct types of personality disorders. Which include:  

• Paranoid personality disorder
• Schizoid personality disorder
• Schizotypal personality disorder
• Antisocial personality disorder
• Borderline personality disorder
• Histrionic personality disorder (Linked to attention-seeking behavior)
• Narcissistic personality disorder
• Avoidant personality disorder
• Dependent personality disorder 
• Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder [2]

What Is Attention-Seeking Behavior?

Attention-seeking behavior is a core feature of histrionic personality disorder (HPD). HPD is a mental health condition characterized by “unstable emotions, a distorted self-image and an overwhelming desire to be noticed” [1]. 

The word Histrionic means dramatic or theatrical, which is fitting given the nature of this disorder. People with this condition experience intense and frequent urges to act out in order to grab the attention of others. They may do this with provocative behavior, dramatized emotions, loud speech, lying, or embellishing stories to amplify the shock value. 

Why Do People Seek Attention?

The root of attention-seeking or attention-craving behavior is entirely human. There is a need for attention that can be logically connected to every level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s hierarchy is a pyramid of ascending needs. 

These needs include:

Level 1 (Base): Physiological – the need for air, water, food, shelter, etc

Level 2: Security – the need for safety, employment, resources, health 

Level 3: Love & Belonging – the need for friendship, love, connection and community

Level 4: Esteem – the need for self-esteem, respect, status, freedom and recognition

Level 5 (Top): Self-Actualization – the desire to fulfill one’s full potential and personal growth [6]

At the base level, we have our basic needs, and to meet those, we often require help and assurance or acceptance from others. If we think back to the vary first human communities, we see how important acceptance is for survival. 

However, there are healthy ways to gain good attention—such as being friendly and engaging in two-sided conversation—and unhealthy ways to gain attention that are self-seeking and ultimately damaging to relationships. We may catch ourselves occasionally engaging in self-seeking behavior driven by the desire for attention. While this may have negative consequences, it does not necessarily mean you have attention-seeking behavior or HPD as a diagnosis. Seek the counsel of a licensed mental health physician for a proper diagnosis. 

The self-awareness to reflect and see one’s behavior and its consequences as it relates to its motives is very healthy. People with HPD and other personality disorders may struggle to accurately assess their own behavior and effectively curb those urges. 

What Does Attention Seeking Behavior Look Like? 

Attention-seeking syndrome or behaviors may take various forms. It’s important to note that just because you or someone you know exhibits some (or even many) of these characteristics does not mean they have a personality disorder. Personality disorders require a formal diagnosis by a licensed mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker). 

Attention Seeking Behavior Examples:

1. Fishing for Compliments: The individual may put themselves down and be extremely self-deprecating to gain encouragement and compliments from others. 
2. Being Contrary or Controversial: Playing devil’s advocate or simply taking the radical stances of beliefs, politics, or other serious matters for shock value and attention. 
3. Embellishing Stories or Overt Lying: Their stories may seem far-fetched or exaggerated, and you may catch them in overt lies. 
4. Seeking Sympathy: They may always seem injured, ill, or riddled with bad luck. Their tales of misfortune appear exaggerated or made up to gain more sympathy.
5. Faking a Lack of Ability: The individual may pretend they are unable to perform a task to gain your assistance and attention. 
6. Dramatized Emotions: Their emotions feel theatrical, like a soap opera, or disingenuous and over the top. These emotions tend to switch quickly.
7. Pretending to be Someone Else: They may assume someone else’s identity and refuse to break character. 
8. Needing to be the Center of Attention: The individual may feel ignored when they are not the center of attention. This may drive them to outbursts and hysterical behavior to divert your attention back onto them. 
9. Sexually Provocative Behavior and Speech: A person with HPD will often exhibit sexualized behaviors with their body language, appearance, and speech for the sake of shock and attention [5].

While many people occasionally exhibit attention-seeking behaviors, it’s essential to recognize when these actions become habitual and begin to interfere with daily life and relationships.

When Is Attention Seeking Considered a Disorder?

Attention-seeking is not considered a disorder unless the behaviors are excessive and habitual. If these behaviors significantly impact a person’s daily life and relationships, they may need to be evaluated for “cluster B” personality disorder, which includes histrionic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder. Of these, histrionic personality disorder is most closely related to attention-seeking behaviors. 

Characteristics of Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)

• Low Harm Avoidance: People with diagnosed HPD generally exhibit low-risk aversion, meaning they are not easily discouraged by behaviors that would likely create negative consequences or punishments.

• Novelty or Thrill-Seeking Behavior: Those with HPD may have a strong desire to initiate new experiences and feelings that will trigger adrenaline and reward signals in the brain. 

• Approval or Reward Dependence: Individuals with HPD excessively seek the approval of others, though the attention they receive may lack genuine affirmation, leading to difficulty interpreting social cues.

• Persistence: Individuals with HPD typically persist with their attention-seeking behavior despite negative responses or limited reinforcement, which shows a lack of social awareness and self-perception [4].
• Ego-syntonic: This disorder tends to be ego-syntonic, meaning individuals generally perceive their behavior as normal and fail to see their actions as problematic.

Since the diagnostic process of mental health (particularly personality disorders) is primarily based on semi-subjective behavioral observations, the DSM5 attempts to clarify the criteria that warrant a diagnosis. 

Patients who display five or more of these behaviors can be diagnosed with HPD:

1. Discomfort when they are not the center of attention
2. Inappropriate or overtly sexual interactions
3. Shallow, rapidly shifting emotions
4. Seeking Attention through physical appearance
5. Vague, impressionistic speech
6. Dramatic, exaggerated emotional expression
7. Easily swayed by others and their circumstances
8. View relationships as more intimate than they are [4]

Remember, every clinician will differ in their opinion of the severity of said behaviors. It is also important to note that this information is collected through self-reported inventories, questionnaires, and interviews, often without a set series of questions. The clinician’s role is to accurately observe the individual within a range of settings and conversations throughout several sessions to determine the severity and frequency of the behaviors. 

While these signs are classic examples of attention-craving behavior, five or more need to be consistently and overtly apparent in the individual’s interactions with others to constitute a disorder. Be mindful that a clinician should make these observations, and self- or peer-to-peer diagnosis is discouraged. 

Causes of Attention-Seeking Behavior

Attention-seeking behavior often arises from unmet needs combined with an inability to pursue those needs in a healthy, socially acceptable manner.

Attention-seeking behavior could be caused by:

Low Self-Esteem: Revealing a lack of personal self-acceptance and self-worth may lead a person to attempt to have others affirm their value and worth to an unhealthy extent. 

Jealousy: Jealousy arises when something we value, love, or want is threatened. This feeling operates from a scarcity mindset, believing that if someone else has what we want, there won’t be enough (resources, attention, etc.) to meet our needs. 

Loneliness: A lack of social connection and acceptance can drive individuals towards isolation and depression. Humans need love, empathy, and authentic connection with others. 

Attention-seeking behavior can be problematic for one’s quality of life and the formation of healthy relationships. In some cases, attention-seeking behavior is a symptom of a personality disorder. A combination of factors can cause personality disorders. These factors include:

1. Genetics: Arguably, the leading cause of HPD and other personality disorders is genetic, with several studies denoting that all ten personality disorders (PDs) classified on the DSM-IV axis II are “modestly to moderately heritable” [7,8]. 
2. Social Upbringing: Certain parenting styles may contribute to the development of HPD. Caregivers who don’t enforce healthy boundaries or maintain consistent behavioral expectations can create an environment where HPD and other attention-seeking behaviors are reinforced and become habitual for the individual [1]. 
3. Trauma: There is a significant link between childhood trauma and personality disorders like HPD. Sexual abuse incidents were exceptionally high for those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder [8]. 

These causes are not exhaustive, nor are they concrete conditions for one to develop a personality disorder. There is still much we do not know about the development of HPD and related disorders. Research is ongoing for further knowledge of genetic mutations and the impact of trauma and social influences.

While research is lacking on the prevalence of HPD, about 9% of the general population has at least one personality disorder, and of that pool, 0.45% – 1.8% are classified as HPD [4]. Notably, HPD is 4 times more prevalent in women than men. However, this distinction is underscored by the potential for gender bias, as societal norms tend to discourage sexual forwardness in women more than men. 

Is Attention-Seeking Behavior Ever Normal?

Yes, attention-seeking is deeply rooted in natural human behaviors and is not necessarily disordered. This is highlighted in children’s social interactions, where there is a natural tendency to cry and act out for attention. 

When children are very young, they are still developing their communication skills and emotional self-regulation. For example, a firstborn two-year-old, who is now an older sibling to an infant, may feel jealous and insecure as their parents no longer solely focus on them. This adjustment period may lead to attention-seeking behavior through tantrums, misbehaviors, and related emotional responses. 

However, most children and parents learn to adapt to the new family member while still fulfilling the emotional needs of their firstborn child. Over time, most cases of attention-seeking behavior in children will diminish as they learn to communicate their needs to others, grow in personal self-esteem, create healthy friendships, and feel emotionally supported. 

When a child is raised without healthy boundaries, love, connection, and behavioral corrections, the top 3 levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs will not be adequately met. This may lead to personality disorders later in life. Attention-seeking behavior in adults can develop into personality disorders,  including histrionic personality disorder (HPD) and attention-seeking disorder. 

Is Attention-Seeking Behavior Part of Mental Illness?

Yes, consistent and unchecked attention-seeking behavior that severely hinders one’s ability to form healthy relationships can be a symptom of a personality disorder. The personality disorders most commonly associated with this symptom are a part of DSM5 Cluster B personality disorders. Cluster B personality disorders include histrionic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder.

What is Histrionic Personality Disorder?

Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) is a type of personality disorder that displays excessive attention-seeking, dramatized behaviors, and a need to be the center of attention. People with HPD often have a distorted self-image and need constant external validation. They fulfill this desire with inappropriate social interactions, usually behaving provocatively or exaggeratedly to capture attention. Common behaviors include theatrical expressions, impressionistic or vague speech, embellishing stories, or lying to gain sympathy. 

HPD falls under “Cluster B” personality disorders in the DSM-5, alongside borderline, narcissistic, and antisocial Personality Disorders, which all display impulsiveness, manipulation, and erratic emotional responses. While HPD can stem from genetic, social, and environmental factors, these behaviors must be persistent, ongoing, and significantly impact the individual’s daily life and relationships to qualify as a disorder. 

What is Borderline Personality Disorder?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by intense emotional instability, impulsive behaviors, and a deep fear of abandonment. Individuals with BPD often experience rapid mood shifts, difficulty maintaining stable relationships, and may exhibit self-destructive or attention-seeking behaviors. People with BPD may struggle with a fragile self-image, which contributes to feelings of disconnection. Like HPD, BPD must display ongoing symptoms that negatively affect a person’s daily life to constitute a diagnosis.

Coping With Attention-Seeking Behavior

Coping with attention-seeking disorder or behaviors starts with recognizing the internal motivators and external behaviors. If you start recognizing specific behaviors in your life, this is a positive first step to coping with attention-seeking behavior. You can also make personal challenges by displaying active listening skills and proactively putting focus and attention on others. The saying goes, “You need to be a friend to make a friend.” So, ask questions, seek to learn something new from others, and follow up on what they share to display intentionality. 

Sometimes, our own willpower is not strong enough to combat a lifetime of habitual attention-seeking behavior. Therapy with a trusted counselor can help provide you with unbiased feedback and practical applications for coping with attention-seeking behavior. A professional clinician can also evaluate you for correlating mental health conditions when appropriate. 

How to Treat Attention-Seeking Behavior

Interventions for attention-seeking behavior, especially within personality disorders like histrionic personality disorder (HPD), often require client-centered approaches like Clarification-Oriented Psychotherapy (COP). COP therapy helps individuals clarify core beliefs and break patterns of behavior by building new perspectives over a prolonged treatment period (typically 48–78 sessions) [9]. 

Research on COP shows that fostering a trusted and strong client-therapist relationship—where therapists encourage authenticity in a structured yet supportive approach—significantly reduces HPD symptoms. This model and many other similar therapies will emphasize the importance of an empathetic therapeutic session that directly addresses attention-seeking behaviors. Personality disorders, as a whole, continue to be one of the most difficult disorders to treat in psychiatry [1]. Continued research is necessary to improve the distinction between disorders, their effect on the brain, and our process of diagnosing and treating.  

FAQs | Attention Seeking Behavior 

What is attention-seeking behavior a symptom of?

Attention-seeking behavior can be a symptom of personality disorders like Histrionic Personality disorder or borderline personality disorder. But it may also result from low self-esteem, jealousy, or unmet emotional needs.

How do you outsmart an attention seeker?

Setting clear boundaries and staying neutral can help discourage the attention seeker’s behavior without reinforcing it. Aim to view their behavior as morally neutral rather than labeling it as “good or bad,” and lean into the deeper understanding that this person is seeking emotional connection but lacks the tools to do so in a healthy way. Display compassion and, when appropriate, encourage them to pursue counseling. 

What do you call someone who constantly seeks attention?

A person who constantly seeks attention with their behavior, speech, dress, and overall intentions may be described as an attention seeker. This trait is also linked to histrionic personality disorder. 

Is attention-seeking a mental illness?

Attention-seeking by itself is not a mental illness but rather a result of habitual actions often influenced by parental upbringing and social interactions. However, chronic and daily life inhibiting attention-seeking behavior can be a characteristic of specific personality disorders, like histrionic or borderline personality disorder. 

Receive Treatment for Mental Health Conditions at Connections

Attention-seeking behavior and disorders similar to Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) can be damaging to one’s personal and professional life. However, supportive care and therapeutic work with trusted counselors can offer effective coping strategies that lead to meaningful improvements and a higher quality of life. 

If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health illness like anxiety, depression, bipolar, or a personality disorder – treatment is available at Connections. Start your recovery with our 24/7 staff and receive personalized, evidence-based treatments, including: 

• 24/7 clinically supervised care
• Peaceful oceanside location
• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
• Dual-diagnosis mental health treatment
• Aftercare planning
• Counseling
• Group therapy
• Family therapy
• Aftercare
• & More

Call our recovery team today to begin mental health treatment at 844-759-0999

Sources 

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9743-histrionic-personality-disorder
2. https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Practice/DSM/APA_DSM-5-Personality-Disorder.pdf
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430883/ 
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542325/ 
5. ​​https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/behavior/are-you-guilty-of-attention-seeking-behavior/
6. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3181941/#:~:text=Genetic%20epidemiologic%20studies%20indicate%20that,of%20the%20use%20of%20endophenotypes.
8. https://www.apa.org/topics/personality-disorders/causes#:~:text=Childhood%20trauma.,rates%20of%20childhood%20sexual%20trauma.
9. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cpp.2769