Is ‘Seekking For Attention’ Considered As A Personality Disorder?

Almost all children love to get attention or recognition of the good things they have accomplished or done. So, is there an unnatural limit to the behavior?

Please pay attention to the attitude of the Little One when receiving praise, is his/her expression excessive? If the expression is coupled with behavior that is too attention-seeking, it could be that Little One has a tendency of having a histrionic personality disorder.

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), histrionic personality disorder is defined as a personality disorder characterized by excessive emotion in seeking attention, including an excessive need to be accepted by the environment. This disorder makes a person to be thirsty of an attention.

The process of development of a person's personality can not be separated from the parenting pattern of his childhood. Psychologist from the University of Indonesia, Bona Sardo, said that histrionic personality disorder usually occurs due to several things, such as events in the past or a manifestation of dissatisfaction that exist in the Little One.

According to Bona, several factors causing histrionic disorders, among others, are, wanting to stand out, feeling of having less attention, and many situations that occur are not in accordance with his/her wishes. In fact, the disorder can be triggered by Daddy and Mommy who continue to let the Little One to become the center of attention so that Little One no longer knows what is right and wrong.

Bona says, "If the Little One makes a mistake, tell him/her that it is wrong. Every now and then, let him/her make mistakes. This is so that he/she understands that nothing is perfect in life. "

Signs of The Little One who has a Histrionic Personality Disorder

Pay attention to the Little One’s day-to-day behavior and identify whether he/she has a tendency to have a personality disorder, namely:

1. Having a feeling that he/she should always be the center of attention
The main characteristic of histrionic personality disorder is seeking attention. The Little One who has a tendency for this disorder does not seem eager when he/she is not the center of attention.

2. Easily affected
The Little One who has this disorder will be very easily influenced by others, as long as it can give him/her more attention.

3. The Little One Looks "enticing"
According to the US National Library, one of the signs of a histrionic disorder is "acting or looking too 'enticing'", wrapped up in the need to be the center of attention. The Little one will do anything to keep all eyes staring at him/her.

4. Very emotional
Please beware if the Little One is easy to get carried by emotions or his/her emotions change drastically. This condition makes the sufferer is very concerned with his/her emotions, above all other things. These emotions eventually encourage the Little One to play certain dramas to get attention again.

Parenting pattern has a direct impact on the ability of the Little One to socialize. Give precise stimulation for the Little One’s interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence to thrive. What are the two types of intelligence?

Interpersonal intelligence is one's ability to understand others including how they feel and what things motivate and disturb them. Perform stimulation by inviting the Little One to socialize often and giving directions on how to socialize properly.

Then, intrapersonal intelligence is the intelligence that a person has to understand him/herself. Invite the Little One to discuss the advantages and weaknesses that he/she has and help him/herself to find ways to overcome these weaknesses.

Mommy can also apply a combination of some parenting patterns rather than just one, although one technique can be more dominant, for example, practicing a parenting pattern of being permissive in a certain situation and more of being authoritarian in other situation. The key is consistent parenting. Accompany the Little One and make sure that he/she gets a reasonable compliment.