There’s nothing wrong with being the center of attention from time to time. We all like it, to a certain extent. It’s being the center of attention all the time, and in often-obvious ways, that starts to feel forced and annoying. We can discern such behaviors in person, on social media, or even in group chats.
After talking to several people about actions and behaviors they’ve noticed in attention-seekers, we assembled a list. So here are 10 behaviors many attention-seekers display.
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Constant selfie updates
Most people talked about people uploading multiple selfies within the same day with captions like “Felt cute” or “Delete later.” This is an attention-seeker’s way of fishing for validation, adoration, and engagement in the form of likes and comments.
Starting drama in group chats
Many people also noticed how someone might send a vague, pointed message to a group chat, “Some people in this chat aren’t being honest,” and then go silent. After this cryptic behavior, everyone is obsessed and speculates over the group chat and wonders who was just mentioned.
Posting cryptic “sad” statuses online
Many told us that they know someone is putting on an act as soon as they post a cryptic, attention-seeking status online; for example, a post like, “Wow, I can’t believe some people show their true colors.” They’re basically counting the seconds for people to text, “What happened?” in the comments.
Bringing up illnesses or injuries
Another thing many people noted was that some people magically develop illnesses or injuries on repeat. For example, the second someone else is getting attention, they’ll also mention their “migraine” or “back pain” so the spotlight can return to them.
Casually dropping hints about secret plans or “big news”
A few people mentioned how attention-seekers casually make vague comments about “something huge” coming to make others wonder what they’re up to. But they never actually reveal what it is or even when it is, because they thrive on the suspense and the extra attention that mystery brings them.
Bragging disguised as complaining
Some people also mentioned seeing humble-brags disguised as though they were complaints, such as: “Ugh, I just have so many job offers right now I can’t decide where to go!” They look like they’re venting, but in reality, they’re just showing off.
Overreacting to small slights
Another very common behavior most people noted was going overboard with complaints about small things. If someone didn’t text back right away, the attention-starved person might throw a big fit and say something like, “Wow, now I really see how important I am to you!” to demand attention.
Tagging celebrities constantly
A lot of the people we talked to mentioned that attention-seekers often tag every influencer and celebrity in every single photo or video they upload. It’s not so much about the content itself and more about getting people with larger followings to see it or maybe even get a response from them.
Interrupting serious conversations
These attention-seeking people can’t go long periods of time without being the center of attention. They can’t even seem to hold their tongue when something important or emotional is being discussed. They will suddenly change the topic and completely hijack the conversation.
Loud fake laughing in public
Some mentioned that someone laughing way too loudly in public at even a mildly amusing joke can seem very fake. It almost seems staged as if they’re actually performing rather than being entertained. This is also very much about being seen and heard by others.
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