#malingering

[itsmythang]

Germany did a denazification after Hitler was gone. We need a deTrumpification. Those lie channels need to go off air.

[subsystems]

"This policing of illnesses online often verges on bullying, and can have serious ramifications for both posers and people with real-life conditions. It creates a 'boy who cried wolf' culture around health on social media, which subjects actual sufferers to skepticism and condemnation. . . . Feldman calls actual sufferers 'the real casualties of deception — because they are there legitimately seeking help. When the skepticism ends up undermining their efforts to get it, that's just deeply unfortunate.'"

Harriet Shepherd (2021) on the witch-hunting of people who fake disorders/illnesses. [Source]

[zamvza]

"If you think you're faking, you're not": the predatory nature of the online system community

Disclaimer: if you're going to take this personally, please scroll away. These are my personal observations and experiences. I do not believe that the majority of this behaviour is intentional, I think it's the result of loneliness and echo chambers. I know this doesn't go for everyone, I know a lot of people with DID doubt themselves, I know that system positivity posts can be really helpful, and I'm not saying to stop. I'm just asking for people to be listened to. I'm asking for people to not have to go through what I did.

Another really good, shorter post about this topic.

For the better part of a year, I spent my time logging and decorating Simply Plural profiles, dating a partner system with individual relationships between alters, posting with my typing quirks and aesthetic dividers, making rants about syscourse and building a headspace. I also heavily doubted my experiences. So I reached out to other systems, asking if this symptom and that symptom could be DID, trying to seek validation for myself. Responses ranged from "you're damaging other people by considering other possibilities" to "anyone can be a system!". I don't have DID. I may have BPD, C-PTSD, and ADHD. I have never had DID. But I have more than enough experience with grooming¹ online to make this post.

DID tends to be oversimplified online. If you think you're faking, you're not. Faking is intentional and you can't unintentionally do something intentional. Except, that's not what people mean when they make those posts. What they mean is "do I have imitative DID? could this possibly be something else?". But the lack of knowledge on these topics is taken advantage of. People are told that their doubts have no ground, that they are definitely a system if they're experiencing this and that, don't even bother thinking about other possibilities. People aren't encouraged to explore other possibilities. This creates an echo chamber where people are actively discouraged from seeking out or researching other possible causes of their symptoms.

When a person is lonely, or struggling with their sense of self, it might seem appealing to have friends in their head. To be able to connect with other people by bonding over their experiences with a mental disorder. To be able to express their creativity. But people aren't shown the shitty parts of that. So they get really into it, and they start partaking in the behaviours I spoke about above.

And then if doubt starts seeping in: don't doubt yourself, that's harmful! You are a system! Look, this TikTok video has 5 signs you might be a system and you meet them! Trauma is different for everyone! Sure, why not, it's fun.

Even more dangerous, in my opinion, is when people don't doubt it. They never escape the dangerous cycle, they could go through their whole lives believing they have a disorder they don't.

Nobody owes anyone information. I understand that. Only wanting to post about your silly experiences online is totally valid - I don't want to talk about how awful my autism makes my life to anyone happening to scroll the autism tag. Those aren't the type of people I'm talking about.

r/systemscringe doesn't help. Hell, I hate to say it, but they make really valid points sometimes. I hate the premise of the subreddit, I hate that they can post vulnerable people on there and make fun of them for what they basically view as the greater good. Just to clarify. But when you're doubting yourself, you might turn to that for a different perspective because you don't know where else to go. And then back to system communities, anybody who thinks they're a system is one.

Instead of going to safe places for research or a different perspective, they go to very potentially harmful subreddits like that, because the echo chamber can drive people crazy. Jeez, where can a guy find someone who doesn't recite the same 3 phrases?

Sorry, I know this isn't properly structured. It's a thought dump that I hope will encourage people to be safer.

"It's okay to be wrong". Yes, so true, but this is never used in the way it should be. It shouldn't be it's okay to be wrong so throw yourself into the system community and see how you feel, it should be it's okay to be wrong so don't be afraid to back out and look at other possibilities, take your time. The phrase is used to push people further away from their doubts rather than towards further research. Hell, I had someone tell me that there was "no harm to indulge in it", it being thinking I'm a system.

God, I wish people would seriously consider the long lasting effects of this shit! Of the devastatingly exhausting recovery path, the way it can destroy your sense of self.

I know I'm getting a bit heated there. I think I deserve to, a little.

I could most definitely say more but I want a snack. And in case you're wondering, everything quoted or mentioned here took a part in my false belief of having DID.

Eat, drink, and for the love of god read the disclaimer again before you reply to this please.

¹ "when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can make them do what they want and abuse them"

PT: Radqueers and TransIDs DN. Intended to say DNI, but the website was being funky.

[your-fave-has-munchausen]

FDIS culture is begging people to learn the difference between malingering (a term to describe someone who fakes illness/tragedy for monetary gain, the people who fake cancer and make GoFundMes to scam others) and Munchausen's (a medically recognized disorder that makes someone exaggerate their symptoms or purposely insite symptoms for the attention and care from others, aka not malingerers)

Yeah, I feel that, Anon. Not gonna lie, the DSM kind of grinds my gears because of how vague and confusing its definition is, and its footnote distinguishing malingering from FDIS/Munchausen is equally vague and confusing.

People often don't even go that far, though, only familiar with FDIS/Munchausen through pop culture and when pop culture is your source? It's a nightmare separating the two and I hate it. It's different. It's DIFFERENT!

[secretsdid]

Conversation with my therapist on malingering DID/DES II Test scores

I plan to see her on Monday and go over actual "malingering" (exaggerated) symptoms I showed back in high school and share online as a way of venting but also to share an experience on something not really talked about in the community. I feel others might also be exaggerating symptoms, not out of ill intent but also as a cry for help or to seek some sort of validity for what is going on in their head like we did.

-Rachel

[lycarael]

Faking any illness or mental disorder means your actual diagnosis is malingering.

[spacedemodulator]

MAG 196, This Old House

Like Jon in his rowboat, like Basira on her island, Martin, too, is entirely done with this shit.

ANNABELLE: Look I'm no good at monologue-ing. Won't you please monologue for me?

MARTIN: What's in it for me?

ANNABELLE: I'll stuff you with 100% fewer spiders.

MARTIN: Gimme.

@a-mag-a-day

[ourmadramblr]

Puts the mal in malingering 😂