My friend, Katt, tells me everything. Now, since she tells me everything, she tells me the truth, unlike our other friends. Katt, though I'm not sure what's wrong, tells our group of friends that her parents are overly abusive; she said her dad poured bleach on her because she's allergic. But she's not allergic, nor did her father do that really. She also tells our friends that she's attempted suicide; for example, she told us the other day that she overdosed on sleeping medications and needed us to keep her awake by talking to her through the phone, she eventually "fell asleep and died", to have her mother find her on the kitchen floor, debating whether or not to leave her or save her. Supposedly, she took her to the hospital and had her stomach pumped, after lying dead on the kitchen floor for at least fifteen minutes. Of course, she told me the next morning that it didn't really happen that she was just "playing" our friends. But she's not sadistic, and I can't imagine why she would do these things to everyone. It's hurting us all. Especially me, because I know if I tell our other friends, they'll hurt her, and I don't want that to happen, because I believe if something really is wrong, she won't be able to take that kind of emotional pain.
Anyway. I guess what I'm asking, is can someone help provide an explanation for her actions?
[There are much more stories, those are just two-I think that's how many.]
Well, I have asked her before, and she just looked at me with her head cocked to the side and zoned out. I always ask her right after she fabricates really, really bad stuff, but I don't think she'll ever answer. It seems a lot like she doesn't even know why she does it. :s
can you suggest she talk to a psych/counselor? i'm sure she has a lot of problems and that's why she does it. but you also can't tolerate it forever. can you tell her that she either has to get help or you can't keep allowing others to believe her stories for her? she needs help, but it may take the risk of rejection to make her seek it. and it sounds like she really needs attention for some reason, so that might be the way to get her to admit her problem.
Hmm. Well, I believe she already has a psychiatrist. There was one time that I had asked her when she gave me an answer...sort of. She suggested that she thinks she may have munchausen syndrome.
that's what it sounds like. tell her that she really needs to tell her psych. maybe suggest you could go to one of her appts with her and help explain the problem if she's too scared to talk to her psych herself. while she is hurting people, at least she is admitting her problems to you. i think you're a very good friend for sticking with her, but at the same time, make sure she makes an effort to change as the stories she is creating sound very severe and could have horrible implications if people take them seriously.
please take care of yourself when getting involved in all this
although she needs someone and your being a very good friend to her, please dont forget you have your own life that you need to take care of. it sounds scarily like how everything started with one of my old friends, and it led to a lot of problems. Its good your being there for her though :)
