Community Munchausen's by Internet (Malingerers, Munchies, Spoonies, etc) - Feigning Illnesses for Attention

[money bunny]

It's funny how much more popular DID became as a self-diagnosis after The United States of Tara came out. So many special snowflakes now.

The same thing happened back in the 70s with Sybil. What was then called Multiple Personality Disorder was fairly obscure and there were only a handful of possible cases on record, until that book/movie came out, and all of a sudden just having ordinary memory problems or mood swings wasn't glamorous enough anymore.

 

[AnOminous]

The same thing happened back in the 70s with Sybil. What was then called Multiple Personality Disorder was fairly obscure and there were only a handful of possible cases on record, until that book/movie came out, and all of a sudden just having ordinary memory problems or mood swings wasn't glamorous enough anymore.

Of course, the Sybil story was basically a total hoax.

 

[MirnaMinkoff]

Of course, the Sybil story was basically a total hoax.

Not basically it was - a therapist who saw a way to make a mint on a bestseller and TV movie by making up an extrodinary case out of almost whole cloth. Sybil is entirely fiction. DID is mostly fiction, more of an invention of Hollywood and fantasy than any psychiatric reality.

 

[money bunny]

Oh yeah, I wasn't meaning to imply the Sybil story was legit, just that a lot of this shit is people copying what they see on TV or whatever.

 

[OneTrickPony]

As someone who actually has EDS and a feeding tube I 100% agree with this. I mainly use the patient groups to laugh at all the drama and get on with my life.

Any time someone decides they simply must share pointless details of their oh-so-real EDS struggles in a thread like this, I instantly think they're probably as bad as the people being discussed.

 

[Awkwafina]

It's funny how much more popular DID became as a self-diagnosis after The United States of Tara came out. So many special snowflakes now.

Idk if it's been mentioned but DID now has its own special corner of Tumblr. I believe they're now called "head mates" and "systems" and they describe it exactly as DID yet it's not DID because DID is a "serious mental condition that needs a proper diagnosis and we know our bodies and what's going on with it."

 

[Morose_Obesity]

Would it be appropriate to talk about mental illness fakers here?

https://autumnasphodel.com/149/faking-mental-illness

I don't want to powerlevel too bad here but anyone who actually wants to have something that makes my life hell is deserving of a beating.

 

[OrangeMouse]

Powerlevel here but my mother actually suffers from a debilitating disease and is in chronic pain all the time. To see these healthy, well off teens pretend to have this shit is so frustrating. They go on about how hard life is with their fake problems and how no one cares but have yet to suffer the psychological and mental consequences of said illness.

 

[Dismaying Tree]

Idk if it's been mentioned but DID now has its own special corner of Tumblr. I believe they're now called "head mates" and "systems" and they describe it exactly as DID yet it's not DID because DID is a "serious mental condition that needs a proper diagnosis and we know our bodies and what's going on with it."

Those kids are a special bunch. They're the ones that claim to "naturally" have dissociative identities and blog about being best friends with their alters or some shit.

They also wax poetic about being traumatized by past lives, so that's always good for a laugh. It's a different vibe from the people who fake physical illnesses, but the behaviors are pretty much the same.

 

[repentance]

Not basically it was - a therapist who saw a way to make a mint on a bestseller and TV movie by making up an extrodinary case out of almost whole cloth. Sybil is entirely fiction. DID is mostly fiction, more of an invention of Hollywood and fantasy than any psychiatric reality.

Every time MPD/DID has seen a resurgence due to some high profile case putting it in the spotlight research shows a dodgy therapist (sometimes not even qualified) who had a vested interest and who was seeking personal acclaim. "Eve", "Sybil", Truddi Chase.

The story of how MPD even got listed in the DSM originally is interesting in itself. There was no actual proof of its existence.

Powerlevel observations: Reading here I feel super lucky that I haven't been treated like
In one post someone said she hadn't been able to get disability for her arm as she can't get a diagnosis and in another someone talked about her receiving centrelink payments so I'm a bit confused as to how/if she got a disability diagnosis. It seems to me it's much easier to get disability support for mental illness than it is for physical disabilities. It's quite hard to even get a disabled parking permit - you need to be unable to walk 100 meters without a break for the majority of the time.

If she gets caught using her arm normally (assuming she's on centrelink for a physical disability and not mental illness) she can completely lose her pension. I hope she gets caught, what an asshole.

She was on Youth Allowance and hoping to get DSP. It's not going to happen because in order to qualify she needs a diagnosis from an appropriate specialist, she needs to have undertaken treatment and her condition has to be stable and not expected to improve within two years, and she needs to have undertaken a "programme of support".

For the most part Centrelink doesn't go around spying on people to see whether or not they are able to undertake activities they said the couldn't because the multiple medical evaluations required before DSP is granted are designed to weed out malingerers and young people, in particular, are more likely to be reviewed. Having a mystery illness which cannot be objectively measured almost guarantees that you won't be granted DSP.

 

[Awkwafina]

Any time someone decides they simply must share pointless details of their oh-so-real EDS struggles in a thread like this, I instantly think they're probably as bad as the people being discussed.

1 in 5,000 disease. We found a unicorn.

Those kids are a special bunch. They're the ones that claim to "naturally" have dissociative identities and blog about being best friends with their alters or some shit.
View attachment 217937
They also wax poetic about being traumatized by past lives, so that's always good for a laugh. It's a different vibe from the people who fake physical illnesses, but the behaviors are pretty much the same.

The thing that's so annoying/upsetting with this shit is if there's an actual schizophrenic who needs serious help/meds and they see this kind of shit they're going to think they're completely fine and nothing's wrong. The headmates thing on tumblr is literally anything, it's not just a completely new person. These people say they share space with Loki, Doctor Who characters, DC/Marvel characters, it's always completely popular tumblr fandom but I've even seen someone say they talked to Jesus??? It's so beyond ridiculous but they act like it's fine and dandy and give advice to people who could just be as fake as them, but I don't discount the fact that some of these kids might be presenting real symptoms of schiz.

 

[MysticMisty]

Not basically it was - a therapist who saw a way to make a mint on a bestseller and TV movie by making up an extrodinary case out of almost whole cloth. Sybil is entirely fiction. DID is mostly fiction, more of an invention of Hollywood and fantasy than any psychiatric reality.

People will believe just about anything billed as a "true story" if you present it just right.

 

[Mmmm]

What baffles me is how these people end up in the ER like once a week. Don't they think the staff will know about this and just try to get them out ASAP?

 

[cuddle striker]

1 in 5,000 disease. We found a unicorn.

The thing that's so annoying/upsetting with this shit is if there's an actual schizophrenic who needs serious help/meds and they see this kind of shit they're going to think they're completely fine and nothing's wrong. The headmates thing on tumblr is literally anything, it's not just a completely new person. These people say they share space with Loki, Doctor Who characters, DC/Marvel characters, it's always completely popular tumblr fandom but I've even seen someone say they talked to Jesus??? It's so beyond ridiculous but they act like it's fine and dandy and give advice to people who could just be as fake as them, but I don't discount the fact that some of these kids might be presenting real symptoms of schiz.

someone who thinks they talked to/are a god could actually be schizophrenic; it's one of the most common delusions that pop up in emergent schizophrenics (along with "thought control", being poisoned/stalked/spied on, reading minds, implant and aliens stuff)

What baffles me is how these people end up in the ER like once a week. Don't they think the staff will know about this and just try to get them out ASAP?

that's exactly what's done with them. every ER knows its regulars.

 

[repentance]

What baffles me is how these people end up in the ER like once a week. Don't they think the staff will know about this and just try to get them out ASAP?

Yes and no. Some of them are genuinely convinced that there's something wrong with them. The ED isn't the right place for that to be investigated but they often have no choice but to go through the basic motions because of liability concerns. Even frequent flyers can have genuine medical emergencies and every healthcare worker has tales to tell of patients who seemed perfectly fine at first glance but who were actually life-threateningly ill.

They're not getting the consultant neurologist called in at 3am, though, which is the sort of thing they want.

 

[I've made a huge mistake]

That's zebra unicorn in purple font to you (preferable something girly or comic sans), and I have 13 separate EDS warrior instagrams, 5 EDS pride websites, sell zebra pill organizers on Esty, and organized a local EDS pride event that had a record turnout this year (my parents, plus two! of my mom's co-workers).

Ehh, believe whatever you wish, just adding my two cents. Personally, I think having some insight helps when calling people out on BS. If somebody is going off how they're passing rainbow slime out their vajayjay, most post pubescent female individuals might have a little more insight into the situation than your average preschooler. Plus I'm a lazy ass lurker, so I'm only going to post on shit that I don't have to research. I'm pretty un-fond of Lena Dunham, but beyond saying she's a creepy entitled prick, I don't have much to add to the conversation.

Anyway, DID is totally a movie thing. People with schizophrenia deserve help (and sure as shit aren't making compilation videos for the interwebs).....so little miss eyeliner fiend just has a plain old selfish personality disorder.

Also, the ER/ED not getting these asshats in and out asasp.....pregnancy tests. These bitches are getting IV saline to help them pee in a cup, which then takes a few hours to process. That's six hours minimum taking up an emergency bed to check if they're knocked up. Unless you are in cardiac arrest or bleeding out, they won't do anything till they know you are without child. Why pay $2 for a pee stick when you (or god know who is funding this self indulgence) can pay thousands for you to do so in an assless smock.

 

[Yaks]

Autumn has basically said "I was faking, but not really, sort of" about her DID and dropped it, but don't worry, we have a new DID faker on the scene:

Somehow she ended up married despite being clearly batshit.

 

[repentance]

Also, the ER/ED not getting these asshats in and out asasp.....pregnancy tests. These bitches are getting IV saline to help them pee in a cup, which then takes a few hours to process. That's six hours minimum taking up an emergency bed to check if they're knocked up. Unless you are in cardiac arrest or bleeding out, they won't do anything till they know you are without child. Why pay $2 for a pee stick when you (or god know who is funding this self indulgence) can pay thousands for you to do so in an assless smock.

Y'all need fast tracking. It's amazing how many people decide not to stay once they realise that they'll be sent back to the waiting room after their blood is drawn and their IV hung.

 

[For The Internet]

She was on Youth Allowance and hoping to get DSP. It's not going to happen because in order to qualify she needs a diagnosis from an appropriate specialist, she needs to have undertaken treatment and her condition has to be stable and not expected to improve within two years, and she needs to have undertaken a "programme of support".

For the most part Centrelink doesn't go around spying on people to see whether or not they are able to undertake activities they said the couldn't because the multiple medical evaluations required before DSP is granted are designed to weed out malingerers and young people, in particular, are more likely to be reviewed. Having a mystery illness which cannot be objectively measured almost guarantees that you won't be granted DSP.

Thanks for the information. I know Centrelink doesn't make a habit of spying on people, it's just wishful thinking. People like her make it harder for legitimately needy people to get their DSPs in the first place.

I'm not sure what the criteria for youth allowance is, I'm only familiar with DSPs. Is it less stringent?

 

[cuddle striker]

Y'all need fast tracking. It's amazing how many people decide not to stay once they realise that they'll be sent back to the waiting room after their blood is drawn and their IV hung.

yep, the best medical invention ever, right after soap and water? triage. triage takes the urine, blood pressure, heart rate/rhythm, assesses them
...
then they go sit in the waiting room until we get time in between actual sick people.
even the worst fakes occasionally do get real injuries and illness, so-

Also, the ER/ED not getting these asshats in and out asasp.....pregnancy tests. These bitches are getting IV saline to help them pee in a cup, which then takes a few hours to process. That's six hours minimum taking up an emergency bed to check if they're knocked up. Unless you are in cardiac arrest or bleeding out, they won't do anything till they know you are without child. Why pay $2 for a pee stick when you (or god know who is funding this self indulgence) can pay thousands for you to do so in an assless smock.

we do the tests we need to do to rule out a real condition. triage nurses that are a quick study of human nature are priceless. they save time. they save resources. and they pick up on when our regulars are actually really sick.

the pregnancy test is only once we're deciding how to treat. not everyone capable of getting knocked up needs a test. someone who needs a couple stitches isn't getting one, it's wasted time. we just bring obvious injuries back quickly, stitch them up and turf them.


I don't want to powerlevel anymore. just saying that spoonies don't belong in the ER. they're chronic conditions that rarely need emergency care at all. eds included. go to your regular doc in the damn morning. take an ibuprofen and grit your teeth. you're not an emergency.