When A Family Member Is Faking An Ailment...

[Iain]

I don't know where else to put this, as it is of a more serious nature than a random one.

I'm in a bit of a predicament at the moment, because younger sister is faking at least one ailment, and it's getting on my nerves. It's not a life threatening ailment that they're faking, but it still gets annoying that it's blatantly obvious to me and my older sister that she's faking, and yet everyone else believes that she's really got something wrong. Not necessarily the ailment she's faking, but they still think she's got something.

What I'm asking is: how do I tell my parents that I know she's faking it? Recently they seem to think that I'm just trying to get people into trouble, and that I'm just jealous of the attention that other people's problems brings them, so I've got to find a way to approach it that doesn't make it seem like I'm just jealous or whatever.


In case you're wondering, my sister is faking ptosis.


ptosis: drooping of the upper eyelid caused by muscle paralysis and weakness

She's faking it because she's obsessed with Tegan and Sara, and Tegan had/has ptosis.

And what's cracking me up is that she's squinting her eye to get it to look like she's got it, and from a distance, it looks legit, but when you get closer, you see that she's pulling her lower eyelid up, rather than her upper eyelid drooping. Ptosis doesn't affect your lower eyelid.


So yeah, what do I do?

[Todd]

How old is she? If she's young, then she's just trying to be like her favorite celebrities (something I'm sure we all did when we were kids) and will grow out of it. It's really not anything I would concern myself with, it's not like she's faking AIDS or something.

[Iain]

How old is she?

Fifteen.


If she's young, then she's just trying to be like her favorite celebrities (something I'm sure we all did when we were kids) and will grow out of it. It's really not anything I would concern myself with, it's not like she's faking AIDS or something.

I understand the whole wanting to be like the people you admire (I've done the same thing), but don't you think faking a medical condition is crossing some sort of line somehow?

You're probably right though. In about a month or two, she probably will have moved on to something else.

[Agent O]

I'd have said if your parents are consulting a doctor, he might point out the fact that she's faking, but the problem with that is, if you go to a doctor he'll find you a disease even if you are perfectly okay.

If she's making it look like something super serious and gets your parents all panicky, I'd suggest that you and older sister sit with your parents and lay the truth out.

[Iain]

See, the thing is that my mom doesn't think she's got anything more than a swollen eyelid. This fact pisses my sister off. Still, my mom's not going to drag my sister to the doctor over a swollen eyelid, especially if it's not that bad. And even if it is really a swollen eyelid, it's not really that swollen.

But it's not, because whenever no one's looking, her eye goes back to normal. Or whenever she thinks no one's looking.

[Arlene]

Honestly, I think she's just doing it for attention, and everyone should just ignore her. If you have to tell your parents, either have your sister do it, or both of you say something. Because I kinda doubt they'll listen to you given your recent history with them.
But if you can, just ignore her completely.

[Theazninvasion68]

I'LL SHOW YOU IN 6 EASY STEPS ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM!!!!

STEP 1) Cut a hole in the box SMACK THAT FAKE FUNK OUTTA HER!
STEP 2) TELL PARENTS THAT SHE'S FAKING THIS SHIT OUT!
STEP 3) GO TO A DOCTOR AND GET IT OFFICIAL.
STEP 4) SMACK THE FUCK OUT OF HER AGAIN FOR LYING!
STEP 5) ???????
STEP 6) Obedient child.

/sarcasm
=========================================


Seriously though; Just tell her the story of the boy (or fine, the girl...) who cried wolf.
She might get the point, and if not, just leave her alone because she probably wants you to say something about it. Then again, the more you leave her alone about it, the more she'll do it so i guess just hang out with her for a while and abit more.

TL;DR.

Hangout with her until she stops or ignore her because she's doing it, either or will work :)

[Dean]

If it's to the degree where your family are concerned and seeking treatment then yeah, she's crossing the line. Otherwise I think I agree with what Todd says.

[Iain]

If it's to the degree where your family are concerned and seeking treatment then yeah, she's crossing the line. Otherwise I think I agree with what Todd says.

My mom was already talking about taking her to the doctor. Shortly after she said that, I told her my sister was faking. She got mad at me.

FML.

[Dean]

Tell your sister she's in the wrong because of the lengths she is potentially making your family go to, and see if that does anything.