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List of All Topics
Munchausen Syndrome
Introduction
Munchausen syndrome is a serious mental disorder in which someone pretends to be sick or deliberately causes illness or injury in order to fulfill deep emotional needs. People with Munchausen syndrome may make up symptoms, push for risky operations, or try to rig laboratory test results in their effort to win sympathy and concern. Today, the Internet provides a way for people with Munchausen syndrome to garner sympathy from around the world.
Munchausen syndrome is a type of condition broadly known as factitious disorder. Factitious means false or artificial, and indeed, these disorders are either made up or self-inflicted. Factitious disorders can be psychological or physical. Munchausen syndrome refers to the most severe and chronic physical form of factitious disorder.
Munchausen syndrome was named after Baron von Munchausen, an 18th-century German officer who greatly embellished the stories of his life. Although it has been around for centuries, Munchausen syndrome remains mysterious and difficult to treat. The key to successful treatment is understanding the underlying psychological factors.
Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of Munchausen syndrome revolve around feigning or producing illness or injury. People with Munchausen syndrome go to great lengths to avoid discovery of their deceit, so it may be difficult to notice that their symptoms are actually part of a serious mental disorder.
Munchausen syndrome isn't the same as hypochondria. People with hypochondria truly believe they are sick, whereas people with Munchausen aren't sick but they want to be. Munchausen also isn't the same as malingering, in which someone pretends to be sick in order to get out of work, win a lawsuit or otherwise benefit financially. And in Munchausen syndrome by proxy, someone makes another person ill — usually involving a parent harming a child — in order to win sympathy.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Munchausen syndrome may include:
- Dramatic stories about numerous medical problems.
- Frequent hospitalizations.
- Vague or inconsistent symptoms.
- Conditions that get worse for no apparent reason.
- Eagerness to undergo frequent testing or risky operations.
- Extensive knowledge of medical terminology and diseases.
- Seeking treatment from many different doctors or hospitals.
- Having few visitors when hospitalized.
- Reluctance to allow health professionals to talk to family or friends.
- Frequent requests for pain relievers or other medications.
Because people with Munchausen syndrome become experts at faking symptoms and diseases or inflicting real injuries upon themselves, it's sometimes hard for medical professionals and loved ones to know if illnesses are real or not. People with Munchausen syndrome make up symptoms or cause illness in several ways, including:
- False histories. They may give loved ones, health care providers or even Internet support groups a false medical history, such as claiming to have had cancer or HIV.
- Faking symptoms. They may fake symptoms, such as abdominal pain, seizures or passing out.
- Self-infliction. They may induce illness or injury, such as injecting themselves with bacteria, milk, gasoline or feces. They may cut or burn themselves. They may take medications to mimic diseases, such as blood thinners, chemotherapy medications and diabetes medications.
- Aggravating conditions. They may interfere with healing, such as reopening cuts or making wounds worse.
- Tampering. They may tamper with medical instruments to skew results, such as heating up thermometers. Or they may tamper with laboratory tests, such as contaminating their urine samples with blood or other substances.
Many mental disorders arise from a complex mix of biology, genetics and life experiences. But to date, there's little evidence that biology or genetics plays a role in Munchausen syndrome. Researchers are still studying what causes someone to so strongly desire playing the sick role that they develop Munchausen syndrome.
Treatment
Treatment of Munchausen syndrome is often difficult, and there are no standard treatments for the condition. Because people with Munchausen want to be in the sick role, they're often unwilling to seek treatment.
Some research suggests that medical staff gently confront a person suspected of having Munchausen syndrome. This nonconfrontational intervention may help people with Munchausen who understand that they have a problem but need guidance on getting treatment. On the other hand, some people who are confronted simply switch doctors or move to a new town.
Although there are no standard treatments for Munchausen syndrome, treatment often focuses on managing the condition, rather than trying to cure it. Treatment generally includes psychotherapy and behavior counseling. If possible, family therapy also may be suggested. Medications may be used to treat other mental disorders that are also present, such as depression or anxiety. In severe cases, temporary psychiatric hospitalization may be necessary.
Prevention
There's no known way to prevent Munchausen syndrome. However, understanding who is at increased risk of Munchausen may help in recognizing early signs and symptoms, and starting treatment before the condition worsens.
Information obtained from National Institute of Health