Munchausen syndrome by internet

euronorris

Hermia wrote: »

I think she was telling the truth (I got the impression she was just very flakey), but I got annoyed that she felt she had a right to be the centre of attention all the time (she didn't like it if anyone else posted that they had had a bad day etc).

I used to know someone like that in RL. I couldn't handle her, or the friendship with her.

pelirocco

Hermia wrote: »

I have had my suspicions of a few people I have seen on forums over the years. On one forum I used to go to there was a woman who claimed she had a seriously ill child, but there was so many holes in the story. If you are going to lie at least try and remember what you have said! I remember once she claimed the child had had a fit and was turning blue. She claimed she was too distressed to call an ambulance. Another woman on the forum who lived in the same town said she would call the ambulance for her and the mother suddenly claimed the child was better..!

One of my pet hates on forums is the emotionally unstable drama queens who are ALWAYS in the middle of a crisis. I used to belong to an online book group and there was one women who would post a woe is me account of her day every evening. The conversation would then always just revolve around her for the rest of the evening. I think she was telling the truth (I got the impression she was just very flakey), but I got annoyed that she felt she had a right to be the centre of attention all the time (she didn't like it if anyone else posted that they had had a bad day etc).

There was a poster on here who was posting that her husband had a fit or something in the bath / or she thought he was dead , and that she was waiting for the ambulance , and all the time she just kept posting

pelirocco

Hermia wrote: »

I never understand that attitude either. I remember reading a magazine article about one of those cases where a woman claimed to have cancer on a forum etc. The victims said afterwards that they had spent months worrying about her, had been unable to sleep and had almost made themselves sick with worrying. Compassion is a wonderful thing, but you can't get that involved with the life of someone you have never actually met. Terrible things happen to millions of people every day. If we all took those worries on we wouldn't be able to get out of bed we'd be so overwhelmed.

Thats grief by proxy , another thing that annoys me

euronorris

pelirocco wrote: »

Thats grief by proxy , another thing that annoys me

What is that exactly? Being upset for someone else's loss?

lostinrates

I think it would be a very hard heart that never thought about some tales here while going about rl.

Incidentally, sometimes, despite the rules mse and rl lines blur and cross. I have met a few people i first communicated with via mse.

I think the poster who said pinch of salt is on the nail though. I always think one must read while taking two seemingky contradictory positions...it could all be true or none of it.

Of course websites like this are a draw to those genuinely housebound or otherwise restricted as a social outlet.

The only other thing worth mentioning is even if its not what they are saying is wrong these people ARE ill and so deserve some ....forgiveness i guess is the word. Compassion would just feed the need i guess.

pelirocco

euronorris wrote: »

What is that exactly? Being upset for someone else's loss?

It often goes over the top , I find it quite insulting , invading someone elses grief

euronorris

pelirocco wrote: »

It often goes over the top , I find it quite insulting , invading someone elses grief

OK, I getcha now.

Yeah, sometimes hearing about another's loss will make me a little sad. Heck, sometimes I'll even shed a tear or two (in private), but that'll be it. Then I move on and try to support the friend where possible.

And my sadness comes from them being so hurt, and wishing I could make it better, IYSWIM.

notakid

Four spring to mind from this very forum.

One was years ago, she was a very visible respected poster on this site in its early days, she was always given tips on living on a budget. She posted about her wedding and her parents not being interested in attending, people started donating money for her wedding! Other members who had sat back before and listened to her tall tales suddenly started posting and taking apart her stories. I remember one tale of her children being abducted on the bus by another women! :eek::rotfl:

The other is the fairy that mazza is referring to. Long time coming that one and well deserved uncovering. I couldn't believe it myself! That concerned lying to claim benefit money.

The last one was just pure spite. I've never read anything like it before. Again it was a well established poster, she posted that others were talking about posters, two other posters then came ou admitted it was then and started hurling personal insults at lots of other posters. It was a real shame as you could see posters being hurt by the comments, who had done no harm to anyone. The posters had obviously never outgrown the b!t chy school days.:(

The same poster than accused a popular poster in DT of giving her "friend" herpes! :eek: That was a thread and a half!

And this is the reason (s) I will never ever meet anyone from MSE, even tho I love you all very much!:p:rotfl:

FatVonD

notakid wrote: »

Four spring to mind from this very forum.

One was years ago, she was a very visible respected poster on this site in its early days, she was always given tips on living on a budget. She posted about her wedding and her parents not being interested in attending, people started donating money for her wedding! Other members who had sat back before and listened to her tall tales suddenly started posting and taking apart her stories. I remember one tale of her children being abducted on the bus by another women! :eek::rotfl:

The other is the fairy that mazza is referring to. Long time coming that one and well deserved uncovering. I couldn't believe it myself! That concerned lying to claim benefit money.

The last one was just pure spite. I've never read anything like it before. Again it was a well established poster, she posted that others were talking about posters, two other posters then came ou admitted it was then and started hurling personal insults at lots of other posters. It was a real shame as you could see posters being hurt by the comments, who had done no harm to anyone. The posters had obviously never outgrown the b!t chy school days.:(

The same poster than accused a popular poster in DT of giving her "friend" herpes! :eek: That was a thread and a half!

And this is the reason (s) I will never ever meet anyone from MSE, even tho I love you all very much!:p:rotfl:

:eek:

I'm clearly on at the wrong time of day, the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me on here is someone once PMed me the address of a local Morrisons.

Kitten_Pie

It is very sad to think that there are those people out there and on here. Personally this past year I have had a tough time, it is the people on here who have really helped me stay sane. Although I am on specific boards elsewhere I had no connection to them before and found it hard to be open.

I think with a bit of googling it would be pretty easy to find out who I am in RL to confirm. I would hate people to think that I am a troll and make such devastating things up.