Is any attention better than none?
For many of us it's important to be noticed, recognised and appreciated, but for some people, attention is their life-blood. It's what motivates all their actions. And if they don't get positive attention, like smiles, words of praise and compliments, they'll settle instead for negative attention, in the form of criticism, sarcasm and disdain. They regard anything as better than being ignored! I recall a client who commented that their parents were so disinterested in them that they didn't notice even when they behaved badly. They tried every day to get some attention, even resorting to disruptive behaviour, but their parents remained indifferent or oblivious to all their efforts.
Then, there are those who receive a great deal of care and attention when they're unwell, who then have to struggle with the realisation that once they've recovered the full-on nursing and administering to their needs will fade away. For some, there can be a reluctance to revert back to the independent autonomy that comes with being well. Attention, of any kind, is an acknowledgment of our presence. It's confirmation that we exist and are not invisible. Someone has noticed us. But we have to ensure that it's the right kind of attention.
