Skip Navigation Link

Northern Wyoming Mental Health Center Inc.

Looking for Help?
Click Here for the Office Location Nearest You

Ask Dr. Dombeck
Ask Dr. Dombeck
Psychotherapy and Mental Health Questions

Self-Harming Attention Seeker

I need help. No-one listens when I tell them that I do need help. I have suffered from depression for over 3 years now and am also a self harmer, also for 3 years. I have been seeking attention in different ways now for a few months, often cutting myself so that I can go to hospital. I know this isn't healthy, but my psychiatrist isn't very good and doesn't help me very much. I used to work in a doctors surgery as a receptionist and used to think up ways to get the nurses' attention, but cutting myself, pretending to faint etc, and I think of doing this wherever I am now. I might be out shopping and think I could pretend to faint just to get some attention. I know I need help but I just don't' know what the next step would be. I've asked for a CPN but my Psychiatrist feels I don't need one, just some counseling, which i've had in the past, as well as CBT, both of which weren't very helpful as I'm harming more than before I had the therapy. This attention seeking is beginning to take over my life and I really need some help to overcome it. Please help me.

THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED UNTIL YOU HAVE INDICATED YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THE DISCLAIMER PRINTED JUST BELOW. CLICK THE 'I AGREE' BUTTON TO AGREE TO THESE TERMS AND SEE THE RESPONSE.

Disclaimer

  • Dr. Dombeck responds to questions about psychotherapy and mental health problems, from the perspective of his training in clinical psychology.
  • Dr. Dombeck intends his responses to provide general educational information to the readership of this website; answers should not be understood to be specific advice intended for any particular individual(s).
  • Questions submitted to this column are not guaranteed to receive responses.
  • No correspondence takes place.
  • No ongoing relationship of any sort (including but not limited to any form of professional relationship) is implied or offered by Dr. Dombeck to people submitting questions.
  • Dr. Dombeck, Mental Help Net and CenterSite, LLC make no warranties, express or implied, about the information presented in this column. Dr. Dombeck and Mental Help Net disclaim any and all merchantability or warranty of fitness for a particular purpose or liability in connection with the use or misuse of this service.
  • Always consult with your psychotherapist, physician, or psychiatrist first before changing any aspect of your treatment regimen. Do not stop your medication or change the dose of your medication without first consulting with your physician.

Share This

Resources