Mental Health Munchausen by proxy?

[nuttynutskin]

Has anyone here had any experiences with this? When I think about it I think I have experienced this on a mild level from a certain family member, although I'm not sure if it totally qualifies. One example I can think of is that I had hit my head and it was swollen up a bit like normal, but said family member pretty much tried to convince me that there was a good chance that I could have a blood clot or brain damage or WHATEVER... Can't remember the exact specifics. There's other instances too, but one thing about the head one was I actually had an MRI paid by said family member supposedly as part of my getting social security, but when the results came back that everything looked ok it was almost like they were let down, instead of being happy for me. At the time, and other times I usually just figured they were probably just overly worried, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Bearlove]

This does not sound like Munchausen as they did not mislead anyone, you hit your head bad enough to cause swelling (as normal). A protective family member could / would insist on you getting things checked out and depending on your age use whatever they thought would get you to respond.

If you were young enough that they took you for treatment and then made up a load of rubbish/lies for the doctor, to make the matter sound way more serious than it was then that would count. You went for the MRI willingly - the family member paid for the service, they did not spend months trying to convince your doctor that you were acting strange, showing sign of trouble etc.

In my personal opinion I just think you have an overprotective family member who may be a hypo-condriac?

 

[T. Calderone]

No, your family member may have been trying to help you get your disability but this helped you ultimately. I remember a case here in S. Florida years ago with this mother who exaggerated her daughter's illnesses to get attention. She ultimately was caught at the hospital tampering with the child's feeding tube and giving her non-prescribed drugs. The girl made a miraculous recovery once she was placed in foster care. Mother ended up going to prison for child endangerment.

 

[missmeyet?]

Generally with Muchausen by proxy, the family member (almost always a mom or female primary caregiver) causes said illnesses or injuries to the child. To put it simply(and this is why it wouldnt really apply in your case) the caregiver is doing it to get attention for their child therefore causing themself to get attention. That is what it boils down to, it is done for the person to get attention for themselves by causing injuries or illnesses (or by claiming illnesses or injuries which may or may not exist) to the person who is in their care.

 

[nuttynutskin]

This does not sound like Munchausen as they did not mislead anyone, you hit your head bad enough to cause swelling (as normal). A protective family member could / would insist on you getting things checked out and depending on your age use whatever they thought would get you to respond.

If you were young enough that they took you for treatment and then made up a load of rubbish/lies for the doctor, to make the matter sound way more serious than it was then that would count. You went for the MRI willingly - the family member paid for the service, they did not spend months trying to convince your doctor that you were acting strange, showing sign of trouble etc.

In my personal opinion I just think you have an overprotective family member who may be a hypo-condriac?

I don't know... As I've become more aware about psychological problems and human behavior it just seems like a lot of instances in my life I was made to think there was something wrong with me when there wasn't. Or at least whatever it was was greatly exaggerated. Maybe more of a projection thing than Munchausen? I don't know. I do know that said family member either has Munchausen or hypochondria themselves. I don't really know what the main difference is. While they do have some genuine health problems there's no doubt to me that some of it is exaggerated. It's really hard to know to what scale, but I can't even remember how many surgeries they've had, yet do little to rehabilitate themselves. They just have more surgeries.

 

[Bearlove]

They have never taken you to seek medical help for no reason -they have never inflicted an illness onto you (with intent) etc - Yeah they may admit themselves to hospital if hey fart abnormall etc.

By Proxy would normally mean they would inflict / make up the the symptoms you had (or didn't) just to trick the doctors etc. You bang your head off a wall and an a family member says OMFG BLOOD CLOT they are going to die if we dont do MRI - Is way different to a family member banging your head off a wall and then rushing you to hospital saying OMFG they have a blood clot,which is also way different to your family member not banging your head against the wall, grabbing you from your bed and rushing you to hospital and saying 'I head a loud crash, the head hit a floor, they have been being sick, eyes are not focuses, their arms are droppy, heart stopped etc.

 

[nuttynutskin]

Well I guess it would just be projection or something then. I wasn't trying to say I knew for sure what it was.