Faking illness online for sympathy and attention.

[LordChaverly 10]

That's so unfair on people like me who are genuinely dead!

 

I will announce your demise on SF, so other forumers can post nice things about you (or not, as the case may be).

[Tony 10]

people who use online forums and pretend to have illnesses and problems just to gain sympathy and attention. A kind of Münchhausen's Syndrome by Internet.

 

Shirley on an anonymous internet forum that would be Münchhausen's Syndrome by proxy?

[LordChaverly 10]

Shirley on an anonymous internet forum that would be Münchhausen's Syndrome by proxy?

 

Not quite. My understanding is that the 'proxy' part relates to someone else (usually a child) whose parent (usually a mother) is seeking sympathy and attention.

[Plain Talker 11]

I saw that one, all seems a little fishy if you ask me, why would someone want to pretend to be dead to get attention is beyond me.

 

 

As far as I know, and as far as could be proven by checking the ISP's, it wasn't the person in question who pretended to be dead.

 

It was a so-called friend of theirs who, out of mischief/? spite?/ ?malice? started the thread that announced the member's "death".

[cressida 1,551]

There's an interesting article in the Guardian about people who use online forums and pretend to have illnesses and problems just to gain sympathy and attention. A kind of Münchhausen's Syndrome by Internet.

 

I've sometimes had my suspicions that happens on this forum, but give people the benefit of the doubt, but I definitely know of it happening on another forum I once used.

 

Article here - http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/26/faking-illness-online-munchausen

 

It's attention seeking, they should seek professional help

[LordChaverly 10]

As far as I know, and as far as could be proven by checking the ISP's, it wasn't the person in question who pretended to be dead.

 

It was a so-called friend of theirs who, out of mischief/? spite?/ ?malice? started the thread that announced the member's "death".

 

Looking at the ISPs proves very little, since access to more than one ISP is very common.

[wednesday1 10]

I note our Phil popped in last night to inform us that he was dead!

[chem1st 10]

As far as I know, and as far as could be proven by checking the ISP's, it wasn't the person in question who pretended to be dead.

 

It was a so-called friend of theirs who, out of mischief/? spite?/ ?malice? started the thread that announced the member's "death".

 

Mobile phone and laptop?

[sarah1 10]

As far as I know, and as far as could be proven by checking the ISP's, it wasn't the person in question who pretended to be dead.

 

It was a so-called friend of theirs who, out of mischief/? spite?/ ?malice? started the thread that announced the member's "death".

 

I did say other people's deaths in my post.. See..

 

Or other people's deaths..

This happened only the other week on this very forum..

 

I saw the person who was supposed to be dead, back here on the forum announcing that they were still very much alive and kicking..

[teenyweeny 10]

i posted a similar thread a couple of weeks ago..there are some people that fein illness to get attention.others do not i was diagnosed with a hyperchondrical disorder over 10 yrs ago..the 2 are very different indeed.knowingly doing it and the other not intentially doing it.i suffered a massive mental breakdown at the time.iam very well now im glad to say..but i cannot help wondering the 2 very close together but in reality miles apart.

[teenyweeny 10]

pretending illness to gain sympathy and actually thinking you have a illness are 2 very different things in reality.

[emerald1978 10]

I can think of one certain 'member' on here, that fits the above like a glove

 

me too and i bet its the same person