is it depression

[meta74]

a colleague of mine seems to have been depressed or bordering on depression all her life.  she admits that she needs to see her GP once or twice a year at least even if there is nothing wrong with her just to put herself in the role of the patient. sometimes she says she has exaggerated symptoms because she has needed a bit of love or attention.   Her Gp prescribes medications which she doesn't take.  for example he thinks she has been taking lithium for years and she says she knows how to fiddle blood tests   she says that the real drug is seeing the doctor and feeling that he cares enough to take care of her.   Is this really depression or something else?  I have never met anyone like her who seems to enjoy ill health or pretend to be ill.  Is there anything i can do to help?

[4Maddie44]

When you say this lady is isolated and lonely, many people with depression are like that.  On the other hand, she does seem to be able to work.  People with depression often withdraw completely.  

Has she a family who can help her?  Above suggestion is very true, don't let her become a thorn in your side, or she may lean on you too much.  Perhaps you could suggest going to doctor with her next time she goes, for support.  What sort of help do you want to give her?  You obviously feel you want to help, but then again, you say she acts like a child.  You could get in too deep here.  Has her life made her like this.  As I said before, this lady need professional help.  You do not know if what she say about visiting doctors is true.  

I know of a girl who pretended she had cancer, and went from work to hospital for chemotherapy, except she didn't!!  These people want sympathy.  This other lady I mentioned, was married, but her husband ndid not know that she was pretending to be ill.  Watch out, I warn you.

I know you want to help.

[pattifan]

It's never an easy thing to say, but since your colleague has a highly dependent personality, the more you help her the more she will become dependent on you.

I would never say don't help her, but take some time to consider whether you would be prepared for that kind of dependency. If it got too much for you, would you be capable of distancing yourself again?

[meta74]

thanks for all comments.  She has only been part of our team at work for a few months so am working blind.  she just seems to have latched on to me and i would love to help.  she has told me loads about her life but on the surface seems isolated and lonely.  i think when she sees the doctor it is for several weeks at a time.  she is nearly thirty but her whole demeanour is saying to us "treat me as a child, protect and pamper me."    never met up with anyone like this before.  

[4Maddie44]

Lithium is not usually prescribed by itself for depression.  Sounds like this girl is lying.  Why should she want to fake depression?  Why wouldn't her GP prescribe anti-depressant medication?  Sounds very strange behavious.

I have heard of people faking physical illness, but not mental illness.  This girl needs help.

[meta74]

think i am way out of my depth here.  Have been trying to include her in my social circle and listen to her probs but am scared of saying the wrong thing.  She says the lithium was for recurrent depression, but that she only had depression once and faked it other times. Is there a cause or a cure for this problem?  seems pretty reckless faking mental illness.  Don't doctors see through this behaviour?  Do people outgrow it?  

[MMahon]

If she were actually prescribed lithium then it would have been for bipolar disorder.
Pattifan is right, it requires frequent blood work to check it's level in the blood.  I don't know how these could be faked.  Bipolar disorder is not usually treated by a GP.
Yes this sounds a bit like Factitious disorder.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factitious_disorder

[meta74]

do you think this could be something like factitious disorder.  

[pattifan]

This is quite a difficult one.

If her doctor thinks she is on lithium, he should be seeing her a lot more than twice a year, as her blood levels should have been checked regularly.

Are you sure it's only once or twice a year? If this is happening regularly she may well have a problem.

There's very little you can do at present as she's entitled to her privacy. However, make it clear that you are available to listen, and encourage her (in a subtle way) to talk about it.

She may decide to open up to you a bit more.