Being sad or down at times is normal. Wanting attention from other people is also normal. When someone does not get the attention or care that they feel they need they escalate this signal. The problem is that in modern society people tend to not notice because they are more isolated and not as dependent on each other. Depression, suicidal tendencies, etc. are just a highly amplified signal to other people saying that they need attention and should be taken seriously not ridiculed. Even if that person doesn't go through with it they are still miserable and need help. I think that it is important to realize that people in this situation need a whole lot of attention before whatever underlying reason why they are so needy is discovered. The important question to ask is, "Why is someone an AW (to use your derogatory term)?" If you approach this out of inquisitiveness with out thinking something derogatory about the person then you will learn that there are many answers for each case. A psychiatrist or therapist can then explore with that person the underlying reasons (which they cannot realize alone because they are not even conscious of them) and hopefully allow that person to “exorcise” this hidden demon and change the manifestation i.e. stop being so needy. If you don't then you will be ignorant and come up with the conclusion that they are just an annoying AW (which you already knew) and they just need a good swat on the ass (which is not a very original idea). This might make them less annoying temporarily but it still leaves them stunted as a person and actually makes the problem worse later down the road when they are forced to confront these issues again. Like I said before it is better for people to inquire with an open non-judgmental attitude (which many people are not capable of) and if the person indicates that they have had suicidal thoughts to take them to a professional. There are stages of depression where suicide is more a fantasy than anything concrete or executable but it is still a symptom of a much larger problem. People can work any system but that is insignificant compared to the many people that need help.

I am not saying that parents shouldn't discipline their children but I am also not impressed with traditional methods either (although there are components that are effective). Like I said before:

"If you are younger than 18 the law does not treat you like an adult because this is the time that people get to make mistakes and be somewhat shielded from the consequences and it is up to the parent to decide what is the appropriate penalty (sometimes through allowing the natural consequences to occur, sometimes by administering punishment)."

There is a tradeoff in everything and if you think about it the "perfectly behaved" moralist societies on this planet are 1. not very productive and 2. a terrible place to live 4. backwards and unsophisticed and 3. by more evolved standards not very perfect or moral.