Alex's Answer

Hi there and welcome to Ask Alex.

Thank you so much for reaching out to us and trusting us with your thoughts. We appreciate you sending in your question, and we are happy that you felt comfortable getting in contact with us.

You’ve asked, “Why do I do bad stuff? I know it’s bad but I still do it. Am I attention seeking?” You have been very brave and honest in telling us about this. It is not easy to talk about our emotions or worries or to admit to doing things that aren’t constructive or helpful to ourselves or society at large.

You questioned whether attention-seeking might be a reason you do bad stuff. Do you feel there is a lack of attention from others in your life at the moment? Do you have a trusted adult in your life who you would feel comfortable telling this to? This can be a family member like a parent, aunt/uncle, grandparent, or someone outside of the family like a teacher, neighbour, or sports coach. You might find that some of the adults in your life may have experienced similar emotions and might be able to offer you advice or provide you with the kind of healthy attention that allows you to feel valued and fulfilled.

Do you have any thoughts on what might help you to stop doing bad things? Perhaps there is a thrill that goes with doing things that are bad or that you know you shouldn’t be doing. Is there anything you can do in your daily life that would provide you with a similar sense of excitement? Perhaps a sport or taking part in a play might work.

If you would like to have a chat about how you’re feeling, you can always contact us here at Childline, by clicking on the purple Messenger button on this website Childline.ie, or giving us a call on 1800 66 66 66. You can talk about anything you want to, and we are here to listen to whatever you would like to say, 24 hours a day, every day.

Take care of yourself, and reach out for the support you deserve. You are not alone, ever,

Alex