I need advise on what to do about my older sister. She is 57 years old and has spent most of her adult life in and out of hospitals. Although she does have some real medical problems she constantly complains about her health. She is fairly dependent on pain medications although she denies addicition. She never follows her doctors orders and dramatizes her medical problems. It is almost as if she wants to be sick so that everyone around her will worry. When I try to be positive and encourage her to get better she says she is too sick. I know she has a lot of emotional problems but I am at my wits end as to what to do for her. If I say nothing she thinks I don't care, and if I step in and try to advise her she gets very defensive. Her trips to the hospital have been fairly minor in nature, but she tells a different story. She has had a few close calls, which could have been avoided if she had listened to her doctor, and she dwells on that. I don't know what to do anymore. Could someone out there advise me?

Although there is sometimes a tendency to attribute these non-specific complaints as "psycholigially based" it is essential to first rule out any underlying medical causes. So, the place to begin would be a comprehensive physical including assessing possible thyroid problems. If nothing significant comes from a full physical, then you might start looking at more of a psychological basis, or both. You have identified the physical and psychological as two separate issues, but they may likely be intertwined so both medical and counseling interventions would be warranted. Of course all of this presupposes that she is interested in getting better and will do what you suggest. She is, after all, 57 and competent in the eyes of the law to make decisions about her health care. Perhaps what you need to do is more for yourself, that is, come to terms with your inability to affect her decisions and let go of the responsibility of trying to make her better. RSM

She may be suffering from Munchausen Syndrome.

I'm not sure how best to handle it. It might be worth suggesting such a thing to her doctor. If they agree that there might be signs then they can work on diagnosing her. (any other views on how best to handle it?)

Like RSM says, she may be genuinely suffering as she claims.

Munchasusen by Proxy has more do to with someone else maintaining a person's illness for their own purposes. An example would be if a parent continually subjects a child to unnecessary medical procedures in order to literally make them sick when they are not.

I didn't say munchausen by proxy, I said munchausen syndrome. Did you read my link?

"In Munchausen syndrome, the affected person exaggerates or creates symptoms of illnesses in themselves in order to gain investigation, treatment, attention, sympathy, and comfort from medical personnel."

RSM, you are correct about Munchausen by Proxy. However, Munchausen Syndrome is not quite the same. Did you read the link that Cap posted. It states in part:

Quote:

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Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric disorder in which those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma in order to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. It is in a class of disorders known as factitious disorders which involve "illnesses" whose symptoms are either self-induced or falsified by the patient. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome.

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This does not have to do with a parent/child relationship. But actually affects the person only.

I stand corrected...