Is attention seeking a trauma response to ungrieved schooling and the normalized micromanagement of grading systems?

[Anonymous]

More so than overt so-called narcissism, the humble-bragging kind of showing off, the condescending and boasting, being a smart karen who hates being a karen.

Could be

I 100% deny this

Updates

1 mo

I am 100% certain this was the case for me. Whenever i catch myself being a karen, i can see a wound of being graded, and i now surface it to process this disgust.

Updates

1 mo

One of my most healing experiences of today was remembering being vioently told not to be angry. And now telling myself that i am safe enough to be as angry as i want. And chronic stress goes away another notch, i don't even want to be angry, while i kept repressing it and bragging to others how i never ever get angry before.

[Purpleronnie]

“Ungreived schooling” , that needs unpacking a little but from the jist of your question I’d say yes, that can be a reasonable way to think about it, as long as we do not reduce all attention-seeking behaviour to trauma. Sometimes it is really a bid for recognition, safety, or control in an environment where a child feels judged, compared, or unseen. School systems that rely heavily on grading, discipline, and surveillance can intensify that.

That said, attention-seeking is not always a trauma response. It can also reflect temperament, developmental stage, unmet social needs, or a simple desire for connection. So the best framing is that schooling can contribute to attention-seeking patterns, and sometimes those patterns may stem from emotional stress or trauma, but they are not proof of trauma on their own.

[strateguy632]

no way it started before all that. before any of that.

[canamlusciouslad73]

I suppose.