i know this feeling having been in the same class as someone who used to cut their arms and then parade them round the classroom, whilst i was sat there with cuts on my legs that no-one would ever see or even knew existed, but i think you're making quite a sweeping generalisation there ... *i* certainly didn't "act up" - nobody had any idea i was going into lessons half cut until my grades started slipping, and that wasn't for months. i drank vodka out of a mineral water bottle so that no-one would know. there was very little "fuss" - i had to do my gcse mocks like the rest of my year in the week that i was detoxing. maybe i wasn't "good", but i certainly kept quiet and struggled through the black times alone, until someone put 2&2 together that is, & gave me help regardless of whether i wanted it or thought i needed or deserved it at the time. and what's wrong with accepting help if it's offered? i certainly didn't seek it - i felt really ashamed of what i was doing, but i couldn't stop. maybe some people do do drugs, make a nuisance of themselves etc to draw attention to their situation to get the help they need - what's so wrong with that? squeaky wheel gets the oil and all that. it's better than keeping it to yourself and continuing to be miserable, surely? the people who act out are generally just as scared and hurt inside as those who don't ... they just deal with it in a different way. well, that's what i think anyway.