Elderly mom has a creepy new hobby
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Anonymous
| Has anyone else's difficult elderly parent become an internet creeper as a hobby? She is stalking an old friend who dumped her-found photos, where she lives now, social media. (I know some of this younger generations do just for sport). She wants to contact her. The woman does not like her. I suggested she leave her alone. She is also searching everyone's home values and I told her I don't want to hear it. She is OBSESSED. She is finding all sorts of "dirt" online and I refuse to hear it. Her friendships have faced because as she loses her filter her true dark side comes out with more people than just me and I guess this is how she gets her gossip fix. I can't control her, but I cannot listen to this BS. I love the thread about kind old people. Maybe I will go read that yet again. Does anyone else have an elderly parent who has discovered net creeping as a hobby? |
Anonymous
|
Cognitive decline during the aging process means some people get more impulsive and lose their social filter. That's when you see who was harboring uncharitable thoughts all this while and keeping it to themselves!
It's sad when it happens to your own parent, not just because you bear the brunt of it, but also because much cognitive functioning is inherited, so you are more likely to become that way yourself. I'm watching my father decline right now, and knowing his two parents had dementia, I'm really hoping my genes have reassorted and I won't succomb to dementia in my 70s. My mother has MS, and it affects her thinking, so all in all, I'm not favored in the genes department! |
Anonymous
| lol my mom did this in her 50s. |
Anonymous
|
Lots and lots of people of all ages peep on exes and home values. they just don't talk about it much.
She seems normal and good for her for learning a new hobby. It's not your problem, just disengage. |
Anonymous
|
My mom has a few addictions:
1.) fighting-I realized she got a high from fighting mom when she kept baiting me after =his death and only seemed to calm down the rare time I fought back. She started baiting people all around her too and the drama of sharing how the person reacted almost gave her fix. It's only a matter of time before she figures out how to be an internet troll, if she hasn't already. The funny thing will be if she forgets to hide her identity and she ends up on various IGs and places like DCUM using her real name. 2.) Schadenfreude- she has always been a gossip and I not realize she gets high off it. She gets this scary excitement about her when she shares someone's bad news. Now that people are on to her because she can't hide her darkness, she doesn't get her fixes as easily. The internet now provides that. She can google away and eventually find soem trash to make her feel good. |
Anonymous
| This isn't an elderly thing. Tons of people do it. Creepy all around, granted. |
Anonymous
Can you elaborate on this? I have a sibling with well managed MS who is really negative and suspicious of people, but functions. It's hard to be around her because she complains so much about others and doesn't see her contribution and she goes on the attack easily. I actually was fascinated by Megan Markle's sisters' need to attack in such an immature and nasty way because it reminded me of my sibling. It is isn't even about whether MM is a decent person, but why on earth would you want to be so public with disdain (though I guess in that case part of it was profit). My sibling will also try to publically shame and humiliate people, but on a smaller scale. My point with this is, I always thought it was just personality, but now I wonder if it's how MS impacts the brain. It's hard for me to listen to her because it's such a dark way to see people. |
Anonymous
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Lots of people do it. I do it. I'm more into researching criminal/court history, instead of property values though. In VA, you can look up just about every court case right online-- simple things like speeding tickets, divorce records in most counties, etc.
I bet Florida has it too. You should tell your mom, it will keep her busy for a while. |
Anonymous
OP here...OMG she'd love that! I guess I should just laugh that she announces with pride she does this and wants me to join in with glee. From now on I'll say "not my thing mom, but if keep you happy...have at it!" |
Anonymous
| This sounds like depression. Maybe she could use a distraction or therapy. |
Anonymous
| Not creepy. Not depression. Not just the elderly. Normal, especially among people who have a lot of time on their hands and who love the internet. It's a wonderland. |
Anonymous
| I look up everyone’s houses. Everyone I know. I just love real estate and the little high from snooping but I don’t actually care who paid what. |
Anonymous
| Redirect them to ancestry.com |
Anonymous
Yes. I do it too. Older internet stalkers just find more dead people than younger stalkers. It's just something to do. |
Anonymous
| No biggie. She is keeping her tech skills strong. |