I agree that being labeled attention seeking is frustrating. That used to happen to me too. I kept trying to make things better by reaching out and sharing my experiences and pain. And many didn’t understand. They assumed that because they had never experienced pain to that degree, that it wasn’t possible that I really was. So I must just be attention seeking. What they didn’t understand was that I actually cringe when I am the center of attention and I am very uncomfortable. I don’t want to be the center of attention and I am in fact a huge introvert but my intense unrelenting pain pushed me to get help somehow.
But most, even medical professionals and certainly family, don’t understand. They just don’t get it. And it took me a very long time to come to this insight but, I prefer that my loved ones don’t ever understand IF that means they have to feel this level of pain to understand. Medical folks, I have higher standards for them and I continue to be disappointed when I encounter ones who don’t understand.
I am so sorry that you were mislabeled and misjudged. That is really adding salt to the wound. It tends to compound our suffering. What’s worse is when those who think we are attention seeking see that the accusation has caused us more pain, they incorrectly assume that means they were correct in their assessment of us and that we are acting more hurt because we have been “found out “ and are embarrassed by our behavior. 😩🙄
They have no clue really. In short, people suck.

Hugs. 🤗