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Belle Gibson is clearly unwell: so why are we enjoying it so much?
It’s been ten years, and we are still obsessed with her
Lying about cancer isn’t anything new. Belle wasn’t the first, or even fifteenth, influencer to falsely say she’s only got months to live and has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. It’s so common that I can remember at least three people from school, university, or my own social circles who came up with a similarly huge story about their health only to be exposed as a liar. Any half decent therapist or psychiatrist will tell you that people with personality disorders often fake illness or huge life problems to get the attention and support they feel they deserve and need to function. None of this is new. So why are we obsessed with Belle? Why are we still angry at Belle?
Let’s get the obvious disclosure out of the way, shall we? Obviously I think what she did was disgusting and my thoughts are very much with anyone who suffered from her actions. Lying about cancer is bad.
However, I also think the failure to recognise that Belle is sick is worrying.
What’s The Matter With Belle?
Maybe it’s just because I’ve spent some time around people with personality disorders, but I knew from the first time I saw a short clip of…
