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Elderly parents
Original poster

The Drama

31 replies

Orangesandlemons77 · 10/10/2024 20:42

Has anyone see found their elderly parents to have become full of drama / relishing drama, perhaps through boredom? Along with their friends?

My elderly MIL loves drama and creates its where there isn't any. Sometimes seems to like it when things go wrong / catastrophises.

I'm finding it a bit exhausting and just wondered off others had this too. I've managed to get their friends being dramatic too- yesterday had one ring to tell me they are stopping all their blood pressure meds etc and asking me what to do. For example.

OP posts:
EmotionalBlackmail · 11/10/2024 20:48

Mine excelled herself this week. I'm having an operation soon and there is a lot to organise - sick leave from work, school-age child to get to school and back etc etc.

Told elderly relative. Who instantly changed subject to the exploits of a neighbour and their hospital appointment. Tried again, straight onto a different topic involving drama with someone I've never met and couldn't care less about!

And I KNOW when it gets to that point, she'll be creating drama about my operation to her friends!

MereDintofPandiculation · 11/10/2024 19:58

SimpleThings101 · 11/10/2024 18:47

Catastrophising seems to be almost a hobby -eg every word the doctor says is analysed to see if there could be some awful undiagnosed disease about to be revealed. I’m exhausted by it all the time, on and on.

To be fair, at any time there appears to be one post on AIBU asking whether the poster’s trivial rash/lump/spot/itch/slight ache could be the symptom of a life threatening disease.

I realised my father needs something to worry about. So solving one problem just seems to leave space for something else to worry about. I think I’m probably the same.

classicslove · 11/10/2024 18:54

Oh yes absolutely. An elderly relative I care for said she was really worried about an insignificant item that had gone missing, one she doesn't need and has never used, so I ended up saying 'well, if it makes you happy worrying about it good, but if it upsets you don't worry about it'. I've just about had enough!!!

SimpleThings101 · 11/10/2024 18:53

DustyLee123 · 10/10/2024 20:48

My DM tells me, word for word, conversations she’s had and fall outs with people. All the time I’m saying ‘I don’t care’ over and over in my head

Are you me? 🙃

SimpleThings101 · 11/10/2024 18:47

Catastrophising seems to be almost a hobby -eg every word the doctor says is analysed to see if there could be some awful undiagnosed disease about to be revealed. I’m exhausted by it all the time, on and on.

DustyLee123 · 10/10/2024 20:48

My DM tells me, word for word, conversations she’s had and fall outs with people. All the time I’m saying ‘I don’t care’ over and over in my head

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