Do some people enjoy being sick?

Hope this isn't offensive or anything but I've noticed in my life a lot of people that totally disreguard their health, get sick, then seek everyone's attention. This attention they get really could be reinforcing the behavior to a degree in some people. Besides difficultly in changing unhealthy habits, I often wonder what psychological thoughts contribute to unhealthy behavior. Do some people get sick due to the attention they get, or do people engauge in unhealthy behavior because they want to die at some level? I can't believe that in so many cases it's just a matter of ignorance and/ or addiction that leads to unhealthy behavior.

Here's an example, my uncle died a little over a year ago from cancer and he was a long time smoker. He had a great family, three amazing kids, his oldest was married and about to have a baby. He died about 2 months before the baby was born. Considering how much he lost, I wonder why he made the choices he did (besides addiction). I know this case is not unique by any means but it's something that I sometimes think about.

Another example is someone I know who got a mild ear infection and pretty much told everyone in sight about it, including some of my friends who really couldn't care less. It's like they carry their disease around as a pet to show off or something.

If anyone has some research about this, I'd really like to see it. I've heard some healthcare workers talking about similar things where patients don't want to get better. Patients that have insurance want to stay sick so they can continue to have time off from work, sympathy from friends and family, free lodging and food ect. This is something that should really be studied, it's really a sick thought process.

[edit on 30-8-2007 by ghaleonx128]

In your uncle's case, it was addiction. Having smoked on and off for over 10 years, it's hard to quit. REAL hard. And it's pleasurable so that makes it worse.

As far as some other people, there is something called Munchausen Syndrome. People get addicted to the attention and either falsify symptoms or even harm themselves to get admitted to the hospital.

There is also Munchausen by Proxy, whereby caregivers of a child will make the child ill or falsify symptoms and have THEM operated on and treated repeatedly in the hospital, for the attention.

As for other answers, I am sure there are plenty of mental illnesses and psychiatric syndromes to explain just about everything. I just don't know the names of any more, and I'm too tired to research.

Well, there is Munchhausen Syndrome. Which is a somewhat well known condition.

Read down that page a little, there is a variant of this syndrome where the attention seeker, makes other people sick, often children. To get attention as well. This variant is called Munchausen by proxy.

HEY MM...
jinx, 123..buy me a coke..

I posted first.

I appear to have considerable difficulty in locating cokes for moderators. Ask Mirthful Me.

I think it is very common for people to try make themselves the "victim" of a situation or circumstance such as an illness. If they are the victim of a headache/ear ache/sore throat it is not there fault and it is a built in excuse to do as or not do as they please. They feel you can not hold them responsible for their actions because they are having such a worse time at it then you. Such as a co worker complaining about an illness but still coming to work. They think you should be grateful they even showed up and their excuse for slackin is built in.

ask any heroin addict! lol..

My mother -in law has this type of behaviour. They are staying with us for a couple of weeks, and every day it is something new. Neck, ankle, coughing--today it was muscle spasms in her leg. I have quit asking her how she slept, or how she feels, as it leads to an hour of bitching and moaning. On the flip side, my Mom has had 2 AVM's, where she had brain surgery, and yet if you shot her, she wouldn't tell you till next week.
AHHHH FAMILY!!

I've known a few people that wear their illnesses on their sleeves. They always get this weird look when they tell me about the latest problem, almost look like a guy bragging about a new car mixed with a skinny girl asking if she's fat. People like this also seem to have more problems than normal, but it's hard to tell considering they whine about everything.

I have a good friend who has been sick for the entire 18 years I've known her.

Everyday she is sick. Everyday she complains of ills.

Only twice has it ever proved legitimate - thus why she does not go to the doctor.

For her it's attention and a way to get out of doing things and or manipulate others to do things for her/with her.

She did have MRSA (still does) and then she had pneumonia once.

We always tell her to go the doctor but she claims to prefer to wait it out. I laugh and tease her that it's been about 18 years already she might want to actually go in at some point.

She mostly uses her "illness" against her husband and older kids. To manipulate them into doing things because she "never get's any help" around the house. It's something we all know about and pretty much ignore (unless we think it's genuine which it rarely is) she complains and we ignore. She will do things herself but she makes sure it's painful for her hubby.

it's become such a habit for her...she'll be having fun and she'll forget all about her "ills" until the fun is over...then she's sick again.

Miraculous recoveries are daily with her LMAO. But she doesn't see it the way everyone around her does. She swears she's "normally healthy" and at that we all choke back the gufaws...everyday she's ill no word of a lie.

I love her as my friend but can't help but feel sorry for her family. mostly as she refuses to admit SHE has a problem...not much anyone can do but try not to reward the behaviour.

I work with a young married couple, and every time that someone is ill,or hurt, they couple is more ill,or more injured.

I hurt my knee one time,and was telling my foreman about it, and "dude" says,"Oh yea, well both of my ankles are fused together, and i can't move them." then limps off.Nobody was even talking to him.

I think that they just do this for attention. I didn't know that getting injured or being sick was some sort of a contest.If it is I don't want to win.