How should one act in the presence of a person with Munschausen?

Question

My neighbor is constantly coming up with stories (for example: I need an emergency brain operation). Lately, she had started walking completely crooked on one side and told me her bones were getting crooked. After a week's stay in the hospital, she came out perfectly straight. I am avoiding her because I don't want to tell her she is lying, and I can't pretend I believe her. Should I simply confront her, or play along?

Annalisa · Accepted Answer

Just avoid her. Playing along and pretending you believe her, is only giving her the attention she is seeking. People with this disorder, fake illness, because they desire the attention that sick people get.

Just avoid her if at all possible, and if she does start talking about some new malady, I would say something like "It seems that you are sick an awful lot, doesn't it? It's very hard for me to keep up with all of your maladies, because I am very busy with issues of my own. I hope you get better soon, but I don't have time to hear about it right now."

That should get the message across, without being overly confrontational.

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How should one act in the presence of a person with Munschausen?