"Woe is Me" Folk

Friends, it's time to pull down the window of the laboratory hood and turn on the fan... why?  It's time to vent!!!

Over the past few days, I've noticed that I have a few friends who like to publicly lament their woes and problems.  Since I can't consider it humble bragging (like the guy who lamented about how his life sucked because he bought a $300k sports car), I'm trying to figure out what to call it.

Here's the situation.... friend stresses about something online or in chats in person.  Others and I post/give alternative ways to handle their problematic situation which would alleviate their problem.  The friend will then either ignore our suggestions/alternatives or get mad/angry/nervous/stressed that we're trying to help them.  Either way, instead of trying to make things better by alleviating their source of public stress, they prefer to continue complaining about it.

I can't tell if it's just a cry for attention... or if they just don't get it... or if they are staring too closely at the trees and not seeing the big picture forest.

If I'm walking in a random patch of hypothetical wetland and end up in quicksand, I will look around and see what I can use to get out.  If someone is present who wants to help or shout suggestions, I'll definitely take them up on it.  However, what I *won't* do is struggle and panic as I sink further and further into the quicksand, until I am completely submerged.  I've always been a firm believer that, if I'm not doing something right, doubling down on the 'wrong way' isn't going to help.  

So, back to these acquaintances; if they're trying to get attention, they don't realize that, without regard for their motive, they look like indecisive fools who want to sink to their death. And, if they're just clueless and refuse to accept help, then even a Sherpa armed with a seeing eye dog with GPS attached to it won't get them back to the right path.

So, other than muttering 'fool' under my breath, what do I call these people?