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One of the Real Housewives in Atlanta (who is not actually a wife, but a mistress with a disastrous hair weave) pretended to have cancer. When asked by Bravo TV if it was true that she had cancer, she nodded slightly and put her head down sadly. She mainly put her head down to avoid further questions since it turned out she never had cancer and finally admitted that she had never had cancer. The blogs went crazy with the revelation.
A woman in Tennessee, Keele Maynor, was recently arrested for pretending to have breast cancer for several years. The charges are theft and forgery. She accepted cash donations from co-workers, as well as a total of 194 days of paid leave (these days were donated by her colleagues at the office of the City of Chattanooga where she was employed and were worth approximately $18,000).
Once caught, she resigned in December of 2008 but the charges were not filed until recently. The woman, now 38, claims she did have cancer years ago, but is not sure why she felt the need to lie and accept money and donations from co-workers and cancer support groups. She says she is seeing a therapist in order to try to figure out why she spent five years pretending to have the disease.
We spend so much of our lives trying to proactively stay healthy. We read about preventative care, get annual physicals and heave a sigh of relief when the good results come back. So why on earth would anyone actually pretend to have a serious illness?
Some do it simply for profit. Others have a disorder called Munchausen Syndrome - a mental condition whereby people feign illness in order to gain attention, or money or profit in some other way. The payoff is usually tremendous for the people faking the illness. They get a sympathetic ear, constant attention, gifts, cards, emails, money and the time and energy of medical professionals. An area where this syndrome is growing is the Internet. Support groups for people with hundreds of different diseases and conditions are easily accessible and the payoff is often just as good – and actual - as in real life. People have been sent checks, money orders, clothing and supplies, as well as endless on line hugs, emails, letters and attention.
No dummies are they! People who fake these illnesses are actually quite smart. They are well-read in the areas of their “conditions” and know how to talk the talk. They know how they should sound, feel and look. They use medical terms and go as far as to shave their heads and eyebrows to prove that they are receiving treatment. Even more disturbing – websites abound in helping people fake their diseases. The woman in Tennessee is not alone – instances of faking illness are common. A word of caution when joining forums online and offering support to those undergoing treatment for illness: don’t assume everyone on-line is telling the truth. Guard your wallet, your emotions and your privacy.
I was a member of a very well known parenting board once. A long time member broke the news that her young niece had died and she wanted flowers for the child’s grave. She was given about $200 from concerned members and several days later it emerged that there had never been a child – dead or otherwise. The member left the site immediately (or she may have returned as someone else) but had certainly gained much sympathy, attention and money with her lies. I didn’t donate, and never would under these circumstances, but can somewhat understand how first time or new mothers could be so despicably deceived. It was a hard lesson learned by all.
According to Dr. Marc D Feldman, an expert in factitious illnesses, there are signs on the Internet when someone is faking it:
1. the posts consistently duplicate material in other posts, in books, or on health-related websites;
2. the characteristics of the supposed illness emerge as caricatures;
3. near-fatal bouts of illness alternate with miraculous recoveries;
4. claims are fantastic, contradicted by subsequent posts, or flatly disproved;
5. there are continual dramatic events in the person's life, especially when other group members have become the focus of attention;
6. there is feigned blitheness about crises (e.g., going into septic shock) that will predictably attract immediate attention;
7. others apparently posting on behalf of the individual (e.g., family members, friends) have identical patterns of writing.
http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/chronic/faking.html
Tell Us
Do you know someone who has faked illness for attention or profit? Do you use online forums for certain conditions or illnesses and feel that not everyone may be truthful about their health?
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Add a Comment98 Comments
I have a sibling who claimed to have cancer....her treatment just didn't give. She then claimed to me to have Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, to which she would be receiving any medical care for. She said a cousin and friend will be throwing her a kick ass Irish wake. I went online...found two Cancer Associations and a church willing to help pay for everything from treatments, transportation,rent,food... everything...she told me "Thanks but no thanks, I'm not a charity case!"......now she's claiming to first have Lupus and now she's added Fibromyalgia to the mix. I've washed my hands of her recently....
August 26, 2018 - 12:07pmThis Comment
I just learned within the past 48 hours that my longtime friend faked her entire 3+ year fight against ovarian cancer. During that time, I fought my own battle with breast cancer. She gave me advice, warned me against certain things, supported me and cared for me throughout my entire ordeal. I feel so outraged now and deceived. I feel like her friendship to me through MY fight was fake. She also accepted many gifts and things from cancer charities BUT SHE NEVER HAD CANCER. EVER.
April 12, 2018 - 12:49pmThis Comment
My ex husband was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. However, he knew how to use the condition to get out of trouble. The right dr's report or the timing of admitting himself to the psychiatrist institution got him away from minor charges to a felony. He is definitely sick, but the diagnosis was definitely exploited.
September 14, 2017 - 1:02pmMy current boyfriend has an ex playing the same game, only that she has not committed legal offenses, but does it for personal attention and comfort. Sadly, she's also a therapist and the daughter of a doctor in CA. Her medical curriculum includes bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety attacks. Her latest trendy conditions are making her the victim of 'targeted individual' and 'gang stalking'. She tried cancer, but didn't work out for her. Chronic pain in the neck and back from a car accident, making my boyfriend feel responsible for it as he was the driver at the time of accident. She also claims to have a terminal condition similar to multiple sclerosis and says to be physically limited. She recently got on disability and time off from work. In the meantime, she enjoys arts, going out, skiing, trips to HI and SanFran, mountain biking, rock climbing, camping, and catching up to all shows and movies. After their break up, my boyfriend has given her money, a place to live with her new boyfriend, paid her bills, and supported her emotionally because her parents and boyfriend didn't give her what she wanted . My relationship with my boyfriend has been a threat to her because I don't believe any of her conditions. Now she says her dad is dying of cancer. If I put my foot down, she starts with suicidal comments. She was also questioned many times by other people in the last 20 years or so, and oddly, she's still alive and enjoying life in the outdoors doing what she likes. She continuos to throw tantrums and 'heals' with oil and natural herbs. As far as I know, she's not seeing any doctors or doing any treatments. It's exhausting and never ending. Sad thing is, my boyfriend believes her and is very afraid of her suicidal threats. And that's how the cycle goes.
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My sons gf she does it for attention & she's lazy ! She also manulates my grandson(8) who does have anger issues til he lies& throws things she does it for attention my dummy son doesn't see it!help
August 22, 2017 - 6:16amThis Comment
Hello Anon
Unfortunately there isn't much you can do unless you suspect abuse in the home. Your son is this woman's boyfriend and the father of this child (who should not have anger issues at the age of 8) - it's up to your son to seek help for his son and to manage his relationship with this woman.
August 23, 2017 - 1:25pmBest,
Susan
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The girlfriend of a close friend has for the past year frequently claimed to experience strokes. She will have speech and physical impairment that suddenly dissappears. In the past two week period she qeclaims to have had ten strokes, yet she hasn't seen a doctor or gone to the hospital. All this information goes on her Facebook page so that she gets maximum attention. My problem is that I feel I'm going to lose a close friend because he buys into this fantasy (love really is blind) and he is angry with me because I don't respond to this situation. He thinks I'm cold, heartless and indifferent. I just see whats going on and don't want to be involved in her deceptions but if I tell him that, it will be the end of our friendship. Any suggestions?
June 22, 2017 - 12:01pmThis Comment
My Mom was always feining constant illness and I think she did it as a control tool.
June 17, 2017 - 7:08pmMy Step-Dad never cried except when he came to me asking what happened to his life. I couldn't provide an explanation in my mid twenties.
But now I know she carried the illness as an excuse to control her family.
He passed away at 52 feeling his life had been stolen by her. He was a passive guy and Mom died a year later on the same day of his death.
She called me to ask if it was ok for her to pass on. I gave her permission even though she had a child only 18. I assumed she was very ill and broken hearted.
The next morning she allowed my brother to find her dead.
What a selfish person. Only after 30 years am I able to put a medical tag on her.
Thank God I was strong enough to survive her abuse. My brother 10 years my junior...blew up to 450 pounds and died when he was only 42.
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Ugh, I had the misfortune of knowing not one, but TWO girls who did crap like this.
January 5, 2017 - 8:20pmThe first one I twigged onto not long after she joined my friendship group. I was in high school at the time, and struggling with having been then-recently sexually assaulted. I was spilling my guts to my friendship group after they inquired why I wasn't as 'huggy' as usual, and I kid you not, about three sentences in, the little histrionic cow talked over the top of me about her VERY GRAPHIC story about how she'd been raped. I actually dissociated because my mind couldn't handle her describing it.
She kept updating the story as it went along too. I figured out the truth, though: She deliberately sought out a loser of a guy with abusive tendencies and started a relationship, they treated each other badly, and after an incredibly messy and dramatic breakup, she somehow managed to corral her friends into attacking the guy over Facebook. And people wonder why I stay anonymous online! I mean, I was in senior high school, you know, the age where you start to act like a mature adult, not a bratty little drama queen!
The second friend I had known since kindergarten, and here is where shit gets bad. She was actually ill most of the time- She had bacteria in her stomach that, in a grossly simple version of what they did, ate her food before she could. This created a chain reaction of problems, so she got used to the attention garnered from being sick at a young age. As soon as puberty hit, this attention-seeking got out of control. She started self-diagnosing herself with all kinds of illnesses (Aspergers, Depression, Anxiety (generalised, acute AND social!), Irritable Bowel, Coeliac disease etc) purely by cherry picking things of medical forums. You are reading this correctly: she has faked autism. She has none of the symptoms, besides a self-imposed "social awkwardness" from her having no insight into her behaviour whatsoever.
She's the kind of girl that you visit her house, and she deliberately starts a fight with her parents, and then claims she was being abused. I have actually experienced familial abuse and to have her appropriating this kind of bullshit makes me want to swap families. I'd love to have her parents as my own, and even though my own parents did abuse me, I can still appreciate all the things they've done for me.
She's now started faking being gay… Or more accurately, a 'Pan-romantic genderqueer demisexual'. I KNOW she's faking it, because she only really started doing this after it became popular to do so on tumblr. She's making a huge deal about it, reblogging posts such as 'I HATE STRAIGHT PEOPLE! THEY ALL SHOULD DIE!11! LOLOLOL WHAT A GREAT JOKE! KEEP REBLOGGING THIS BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE STRAIGHT PEOPLE ANGRY!" Which, as an actual homosexual, makes me want to vomit my intestines into someone's lunch.
I've known her for ages and I don't want to be friends with her anymore. She's only interested in drama, herself, and how many followers she has on her various social media platforms. Both friends deliberately did badly in high school and fucked up their potential career paths- most days, they didn't even show up to class. That didn't stop them from uploading lots of videos on their youtube channels though.
I wish I knew how to stop being friends with them. The first girl I mentioned I can drift away from nice and easy because I don't have to keep in contact after high school. The girl I knew since kindergarten, not so much. I honestly don't know what to do- she could easily launch a cyber-attack on me, because people on social media tend to become incredibly sheep-like. Hence my need for anonymity!
Ugh. How do I deal with this crap?
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I have fibromyalgia and I have a friend who decided she did too. She also bought the same living room set I did, same purse,changed her toilet paper and paper towels to my brand, on and on. She is now upset she is not getting the same meds as me. She wants exactly what I get it. I have4 it for many , many years and she decided she did like 5 years ago . I believe she knew how to fake the symptoms. Now she wants me to go to her Dr. appt. with her to explain to the Dr. why she needs the same meds. Is there a name for what she has? It is very irratating to be constantly copied. At one point she was dressing like I do.The medical copying of me I find really strange. Its all strange.
October 6, 2016 - 5:21pmThis Comment
I have fibro as well and have a friend who I noticed was wanting to start dressing like me, doing her house like mine and even her hair, I didn't think much of it, if anything maybe seen it as a compliment but now she is going doctor to doctor trying to get diagnosed with fibro, this does bother me tremendously as I'm sure she does not have it and I feel it is making light of my illness that I struggle with every day .I think she questions me about what it feels like just so she knows what to say to the doctors....it's realy angering me that she would fake such a serious think that nobody wants to have...if I could give mine away I would let her have it.
January 14, 2017 - 6:17amThis Comment