We just want to be heard - I think that is the essential thing although whether the person cares on the other end(s) is something else.

So that's why mainstream ways pretending to listen can make things seem 'fine' and people might shift focus on other things to keep things those things going also (while not really realising people haven't and won't care about any of points).

Almost stopping your entire life because you realise how important this first step (being listened too) is probably a hard thing to realise as other life parts go on... how much would it mess up everything if you were being ignored... is up to you to realise...