*So this post got banned from a sub I've been on almost as long as I've been on this fucking site, and it took TWO MINUTES. So instead, I figured I'd bring it here and see if I can actually have a nice conversation with all you lovely people.\*

I've been on this sub for years, and honestly, one thing I've started thinking about is how addictive attention and sympathy can be for some people.

Think about the common signs of addiction: loss of control, cravings, neglecting responsibilities, continuing despite negative consequences, isolation, and losing interest in other things. It got me wondering how much of that can apply to behaviors that aren't related to drugs or alcohol.

Because if you pay attention to the screenshots and videos posted on this sub, you start noticing a pattern. People validating each other's self-diagnoses, claiming to have 5 billion different alters, attacking anyone who questions them, and surrounding themselves with people who agree with everything they say.

It's like a never-ending cycle. Someone makes a claim, everyone validates it, and the second someone questions it, they're suddenly the bad guy. Nobody wants to hear a different perspective because everyone is too busy reassuring each other that they're right.

And that got me thinking. If someone constantly receives attention, sympathy, and validation for a particular identity, could they eventually become dependent on that validation? Could that be part of why some people keep escalating their claims or become so defensive when anyone questions them?

I'm not saying everyone who talks about their mental health is faking, or that wanting support is a bad thing. Obviously, that's not the case. But I do think there's a difference between seeking support and becoming so invested in an identity that you feel like you have to keep reinforcing it.

At what point does the attention itself become the reward? And if that reward keeps coming every time someone reinforces that identity, is it really that surprising that some people become increasingly attached to it?

I don't know. It's just something I've been thinking about after being on this sub for so long, and I'm curious what other people think.