To wonder what is an 'emotional troll'

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What does it mean? Is it someone making up a story or not? It is confusing, sometimes Mumsnet says this on a post and the person seemed very genuine and in distress. I worry maybe they were not a troll and what happened to them.

I guess so - or exaggerating for dramatic effect

Is it someone making up a story or not?

It means the story is true.

I take it to mean someone who posts an untrue potentially upsetting/emotional scenario and sort of 'gets off' on the sympathy and support, often embellishing the story (which is sometimes what makes it more obviously trolling).

I also think people who do it must have something very wrong with them.

I suppose the thing is, not everyone is who they say they are on the internet. Which is a convoluted way of saying trust nae fucker body.

If you find self worrying about a random internet persona, close your browser and go do real life stuff.

It’s someone who jumps out at you from under a bridge to go on a completely irrational and highly emotive rant probably fuled by hormones or hunger.

A post was deleted a few days ago because of this. I was quite glad as I found it very hard to believe it was a real situation.

Sometimes it’s lonely people without much RL contact that start these things. Dramatic tales, often health related, that get lots of attention and often a little clique of sympathetic followers to hang on the OPs every word. Then loads of threads can ensue for the OP and their merry band.

Some just seem to get a kick out emotionally manipulating gullible strangers on the ‘net.

Some use ‘emotional’ stories (illness, sick children, death of a loved one etc) to wheedle money or gifts out of gullible strangers on the ‘net.

Ok, so a bit like those Health groups on Facebook where one person dramatises and posts again and again?

Some people troll about subjects that are very sensitive thus attracting a lot of sympathy and attention. Usual topics are child very ill maybe posting from hospital, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, child bereavement, stillbirth etc all of which are extremely sad. Posters new to MN are often really upset that a particular poster is called out as being a troll by people on the thread or even by MNHQ themselves and will not believe that they aren’t genuine, of course there are situations that are real and these posters need care and support but often there’s a very definite pattern in the threads that are made up.

People can spot them a mile off.

Years ago I mistakenly had a short relationship with a guy who boasted that he used to post to mumsnet posing as another mum. He would give out all kinds of advice and get off on it.

Don't worry, he's not here anymore he died and I dont want to get into that

What kind of pattern?

There is one particular thread I am following at the moment which has all the hallmarks of emotional trolling. I am 98% sure that it is all going to turn out to be someone posting for the ‘likes’ (attention). People get sucked in and believe some utterly implausible stories.

Busy! That's ..kind of creepy. Like for female attention?

Some people get a hard on for upsetting others or getting attention the sad fuckers.

The ones I have been suckered by were people with numerous children but then in RL it didn't seem to make sense how they had so many when they didn't see to have multiple births. And no family / friends / anyone. At all. Seemingly no way at all of accessing any other RL support.

People who name call are trolls

There is the odd story which is genuinely dramatic and intense.

Most of the time, real life doesn't play out like that though.

In MNHQ terms, don't give emotionally or financially more than you can afford, we cannot know for sure who people are.

People who name call are trolls
Not necessarily.

Most of them do feature twins. Often disability and/or serious health problems. They tend to move unrealistically fast, probably driven in part by the demands from others for updates or immediate action. So they keep posting for more attention.

Ok. Yes did wonder how they could manage so many children and problems including tiny babies at the same time as spending so much time on the post.

Some people are just bored of or dissatisfied with their own lives and enjoy getting a rise out of strangers over the internet.