Munchausen Watch

by Bonnie

Munchausen Syndrome is my favorite disorder. I never tire of reading lurid accounts of lies told and self harm inflicted to gain the attention of loved ones, medical professionals, and the community at large. (What is wrong with me?)

Today in Munchausen news, a short essay by a woman whose mother made sure to get hurt or sick whenever she didn’t want to attend a family function.

…standing naked and wet from the shower in front of the open freezer. Teeth chattering and icicles hanging from… well, use your imagination.

The author then explains how she believes her mother’s syndrome was triggered, by growing up in Austria during World War I.

My mother was a beautiful precocious child. The soldiers adored her and would often give her extra bread and rations for the family. Without those extras, my grandmother was forced to scavenge in the garbage for vegetable peels and rinds to make soup. Unfortunately, what mom took away from that experience was that she was special and that her needs were the only ones that mattered. If she didn’t get what she wanted, she got sick. That was her modus operandi all her life.