Munchausen by Internet

[bearbait]

I found a couple of very interseting website articles that I thought I would share with the board. I wonder if anything like this could ever actually happen here?
 
http://paris-kim.com/potholes/munch.htm
 
 
http://www.healthyplace.com/site/article_faking.asp

[bearbait]

Here's some more about the disease:

 
Munchausen by Internet
For decades, physicians have known about so-called factitious disorder, better known in its severe form as Munchausen syndrome (Feldman & Ford, 1995). Here, people willfully fake or produce illness to command attention, obtain lenience, act out anger, or control others. Though feeling well, they may bound into hospitals, crying out or clutching their chests with dramatic flair. Once admitted, they send the staff on one medical goose chase after another. If suspicions are raised or the ruse is uncovered, they quickly move on to a new hospital, town, state, or in the worst cases - country. Like traveling performers, they simply play their role again. I coined the terms "virtual factitious disorder" (Feldman, Bibby, & Crites, 1998) and "Munchausen by Internet" (Feldman, 2000) to refer to people who simplify this "real-life" process by carrying out their deceptions online. Instead of seeking care at numerous hospitals, they gain new audiences merely by clicking from one support group to another. Under the guise of illness, they can also join multiple groups simultaneously. Using different names and accounts, they can even sign on to one group as a stricken patient, his frantic mother, and his distraught son all to make the ruse utterly convincing.

[jpreiser]

Wow interesting... lets see all of you who dont really like camping but are just on the list pretending to enjoy it,  and for those who dont really have pop ups... Please get help!!:)

[griffsmom]

I wonder if anything like this could ever actually happen here?

Are you asking this hypothetically, or do you suspect there is someone among us who suffers from this condition?

[chasd60]

Are you asking this hypothetically, or do you suspect there is someone among us who suffers from this condition?

I guess one never really knows, do they ?

[bearbait]

Are you asking this hypothetically, or do you suspect there is someone among us who suffers from this condition?

I am not accusing anyone here of this,  I just found the article very interesting.

[Firefyter-Emt]

ok.. I admitt it, It's meeeeeeee!!!!! :yikes:

[NightOwl]

ok.. I admitt it, It's meeeeeeee!!!!! :yikes:

dang, Lee, all this time, I thought he meant ME! :#  I was on the board almost a year talking about how I was going to get a popup--didnt have one.  Pretended that I did have one long ago and got everyone to cheer me on when I got the TM.  Now, the TM  is no longer right for me and I am asking for help and advice  finding something else.  

My shrink says if I dont stop this endless  fantasizing about popups and TT's he is going to put me on special meds that some in SEVEN DIFFERENT COLORS and  take away all my copies of PopUpTimes and Trailer Life and lock up my BAL leveler.  He has even threatened to pull the plug on my imaginary computer. :J

But I am not worried, there are thousands of rv's out there that I can pretend to buy for my pretend camping trips with pretend friends while we  sit around the fire and drink fantasy cold ones.  :-()

 I think this is called Camping A La Baron Von Munchausen.  They tell me there is a special section of the funny farm reserved for folks suffering from this malady.

[MommaMia]

My opinions on this matter are my own and that's where they stay.... with me.

[Firefyter-Emt]

Hmmmphhh.. Mommamia, you kinda sound like Kerry there..

[birol]

I have to confess I like Kerry more then Bush But I like Cindy the most  :yikes:    :eyecrazy: even when she looses it just a tad

Hmmmphhh.. Mommamia, you kinda sound like Kerry there..

[wiininkwe]

guess what?   I'm going camping!   At least I think I'm going camping.  Maybe I'm going camping.  Maybe I'm not really going camping, I just want y'all to think I'm going camping.   Maybe I'm just imagining that I'm going camping.   Maybe y'all are imagining that i'm going camping.   Maybe Cindy is going camping with me.  Maybe she isn't, but I want you to think she is going camping with me, so you'll think I have a friend.  Maybe Cindy is my friend.  Maybe I just think she's my friend.  Maybe I am imagining that she's my friend.  
  Maybe someone else has a real sick imagination.     Maybe.......well, never mind.
T

[MommaMia]

My opinions on this matter are my own and that's where they stay.... with me

[Miss-Teri]

OMGosh, you guys camp?!  For real?

[HersheyGirl]

I think that this thread was hijacked..........Being in the medical profession, I have seen Munchausen and Munchausen by proxey happen and it is not a laughing matter.  It is truly an illness that needs psychological help.  A person with this disorder my seem normal enough, and nice enough too, and very likable, but they are indeed,in need of serious help.  Who I feel so sorry for are support group folks who get suckered into the drama of it all.  It is such a dishonest relationship, a real lie.  That person has no respect for the supporters, but, what can you expect, it is a very serious psychological illness.  Makes me wonder how you can trust people you meet on the internet.  Please, beware of what happens on the boards that you frequent, not all may be who or what they may present.  It would be a shame if some of us enabled someone to do this to us, the board, and the whole community. One has to think, what kind of person would air their very personal, private life on an internet board?  Something to think about.  JMHO.