Description

Disorder factitious, previously called Munchausen syndrome, is a serious mental health condition in which people deceive others by pretending to be sick. They do this by faking the symptoms, to get sick, or hurt themselves. Disorder factitious can also occur when family members or caregivers falsely present others, such as children, such as being ill, injured or have a hard time functioning.

Disorder factitious symptoms can vary from mild to severe. People can make the symptoms or even to alter the medical examinations to convince others that need treatment, such as high-risk surgery.

Disorder factitious is not the same as the medical problems of a benefit or reward, such as going out to work or to win a fight. Although people with factitious disorder know that you are the cause of their symptoms or illnesses, you may not know why they do what they do or see themselves as having mental health problems.

Disorder factitious is a rare condition that can be difficult to diagnose and to treat. The help of doctors and mental health professionals is essential to prevent serious injury and even death, when people with factitious disorder harm to themselves.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the disorder factitious involve people trying to look sick, making themselves sick or hurting themselves. Also you can simulate symptoms, make the symptoms seem to be worse than they are or pretend they can't do certain things because of their symptoms so that they can deceive others. People with the condition to work hard to hide their lies. It can be difficult to know that their symptoms are part of a serious mental health condition. People with this condition to continue with the lies, even without any kind of benefit or reward, or when confronted with the evidence that does not support their claims.

Disorder factitious symptoms may include:

  • Smart and compelling medical or mental health problems.
  • In-depth knowledge of medical terms and diseases.
  • Vague symptoms or symptoms that are not consistent.
  • Conditions which worsen for no clear reason.
  • Conditions that do not respond as expected to standard treatments.
  • Looking for treatment of many health care professionals or hospitals, which may include the use of a false name.
  • Don't want health professionals to talk with family or friends, or with other health professionals.
  • The stay in the hospital a lot.
  • Desire for frequent testing or risky surgeries and procedures.
  • Many surgical scars or evidence that many of the procedures.
  • They have few visits in the hospital.
  • Discuss with health professionals and staff.

Factious disorder imposed on another

Disorder factitious tax on the other, previously called Munchausen syndrome by proxy, is when someone falsely claims another person's physical or mental symptoms of the disease or cause of the injury or disease in another person to deceive others.

People with this condition in mind of another person as sick, injured, or have a hard time of operation, claiming that needs medical help. Usually, it involves a father to harm a child. This type of abuse can put a child at risk of being injured or receive medical care that is not necessary.

How those with factitious disorder fake disease

Due to the fact that people with factitious disorder become experts at pretending symptoms and diseases, or of hurting themselves, it can be difficult for health professionals and loved ones to know if the symptoms and disease are real.

People with factitious disorder are the symptoms or cause disease in several ways. For example, you can:

  • To make the symptoms seem to be worse than they are. Even when there is a real medical or mental health condition, can exaggerate the symptoms. You can try to be more patient, or made to look like they are going to have a harder time functioning than they really are.
  • Make up stories. You can give to your loved ones, health professionals, or support groups fake medical histories, such as claiming to have had cancer or AIDS . Or you can create fake health records to create the appearance that it is sick.
  • False symptoms. You can simulate symptoms, such as stomach pain, convulsions, or fainting.
  • Damage to themselves. They can get sick. For example, can be injected with the bacteria, the milk, the gas or feces. Can be damaged, cut or burn themselves. You can take medications, such as blood thinners or diabetes medications, to mimic the disease. It can also hinder the healing of the wound, as by the re-opening or infect the cuts.
  • Rammer. They may interfere with medical instruments, and therefore the results are not correct. For example, you can warm up thermometers. Or may interfere with laboratory tests, such as spoiling their samples of urine with blood, or other substances.

When to see a doctor

People with factitious disorder can be aware of the risk of injury or even death when they do harm to themselves or to search for a treatment that is not needed. But they have difficulties to manage their behaviors. They are not likely to seek help. Even when they see the proof that they are the cause of your illness, such as a video, which can often deny and reject the mental health help.

If you think a loved one may be exaggerating or faking health problems, it can help to try to talk with that person about your concerns. Try not to be angry, or to judge or confront the person. Also, try to strengthen and encourage healthier, more productive activities, instead of focusing on the beliefs and behaviors that are not healthy. Offer support and care. If possible, help you find a treatment for the person.

If your loved one to cause self-harm or suicide attempts, contact a hotline for suicide. In the united states, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat . The services are free and confidential. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the united states has a Spanish language of the phone line in 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).

If you suspect that a child is being mistreated or abused by a caregiver as part of factitious disorder, you may contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (toll-free). This phone line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can also be state and local child protective services agencies in your area.

Causes

The cause of disorder factitious not known. But a mixture of mental health problems and stressful life experiences can also cause the condition.

Risk factors

Several factors can increase the risk of developing factitious disorder, including:

  • Childhood trauma, such as emotional, physical or sexual abuse.
  • A serious illness during childhood.
  • The loss of a loved one through death or illness, or the feeling of abandonment.
  • The experiences of the past, while the sick and the attention it brought.
  • A poor sense of identity or of low self-esteem.
  • Personality disorders.
  • Depression.
  • Desire to be linked with health care professionals or medical centres.
  • Work in the field of health.

Disorder factitious is believed to be rare, but it is not known how many people have the condition. Some people use fake names. Some visit to many of the hospitals and health care professionals. And some are never identified. This makes it difficult to obtain a reliable estimate.

Complications

People with factitious disorder are willing to risk their lives in order to be seen as sick. They often have other mental health problems as well. As a result, they are facing many possible complications, including:

  • Injury or death from medical conditions that cause themselves.
  • Serious health problems, infections or surgery or other procedures that are not necessary.
  • The loss of organs or members of the surgeries that are not necessary.
  • The misuse of alcohol or other substances.
  • The main problems in daily life including difficulty relating to other people and to work.
  • The abuse, when the behavior is imposed on the other.

Prevention

Because the cause of disorder factitious it is not known, there is no way to avoid it. The recognition and treatment of factitious disorder may help to avoid potentially dangerous tests and treatments that are not needed.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of disorder factitious it is often very difficult. People with disorder factitious are experts at pretending to many diseases and conditions. And while these people often appear to be real, even life-threatening medical conditions, which may have brought these conditions in themselves.

The use of many health professionals and hospitals, the use of false names, and the privacy and confidentiality laws may make it difficult or even impossible to collect information about previous medical experiences.

The diagnosis is based on the objective identification of the symptoms that are composed, in place of the person of the intention or motivation to do so. A health professional may suspect that people with factitious disorder when:

  • His medical history, it makes no sense.
  • There is No credible reason there is for an illness or injury.
  • The disease does not follow the normal course.
  • There is No clear reason why that does not improve despite adequate treatment.
  • There are conflicting or inconsistent symptoms or laboratory test results.
  • Do not want to give the information of the previous health records, other health care professionals or family members.
  • You're caught lying or harm to themselves.

To help you find out if a person has factitious disorder, health professionals:

  • Make a detailed interview.
  • Require past health records.
  • Work with the members of the family to get more information if the person being tested gives permission.
  • Run only the tests needed to find possible physical problems.

Treatment

Treatment of disorder factitious is often difficult, and there is no standard therapies. Due to the fact that people with factitious disorder want to be in the sick role, they often are not willing to seek or accept treatment for the condition. But if approached in a way that is not a judge, people with factitious disorder may agree to have a mental health professional to assess and treat them.

An approach without trial

Directly accusing people of having disorder factitious usually does the angry and defensive. This can cause you to suddenly end a relationship with a health professional or in the hospital and seek treatment elsewhere. For health professionals can attempt to create an "output" that saves the people of the humiliation of admitting to faking the symptoms and instead offer information and assistance.

For example, the health professionals can reassure people that do not have an explanation for the medical symptoms is stressful and suggest that stress may be responsible for some physical discomfort. Or the health professional may ask people with factitious, to agree if medical treatment does not work, they explore the idea of a possible mental health of the reason of the disease. The health care professional may also suggest that the focus of treatment to make them better conditions for the function of making his life better rather than treat the symptoms.

Either way, health professionals attempt to steer people with factitious disorder to attention with a mental health professional. And both health professionals and loved ones can reinforce healthy, productive behaviors and to not give too much attention to the symptoms.

Treatment options

Often the treatment focuses on the management of the condition and to make people more able to function, instead of trying to cure it. The treatment usually includes:

  • Have a primary healthcare professional. The use of a professional of the health to monitor the health care can help manage the necessary care and treatment plan. This can reduce or stop the visit to many health professionals that are not needed.
  • Talk therapy. Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy and behavioral therapy can help to manage stress and build coping skills. Family therapy may also be suggested. Other mental health conditions, such as depression, can also be addressed.
  • Of medicine. Medications can be used to treat other mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
  • Treatment in the hospital. If the disorder factitious symptoms are severe, a brief stay in a mental health hospital may be necessary for the security and create a treatment plan.

The treatment may not be accepted or not helpful, especially for people with severe factitious disorders. In these cases, the goal may be to stop invasive or risky treatments. When the disorder factitious is imposed on others, the health professionals to assess the abuse and the need to report the abuse to the authorities.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Along with the professional treatment, these tips may help people who have the disorder, factitious:

  • Stay with your treatment plan. Attend therapy appointments and take medications as directed. If you feel the need to hurt yourself or make you sick, talk honestly with your therapist or primary healthcare professional about the best ways to deal with emotions.
  • Having a physician gatekeeper. Instead of visiting many health professionals, specialists and surgeons, have a trusted primary health professional manage your health care.
  • Remember the risks. Remember that you can be hurt or even die when you have a risky test or surgery that is not necessary.
  • Don't run. Resist urges to find a new healthcare professional or to flee to a new city where medical professionals do not know of her background. Your therapist can help you overcome these powerful impulses.
  • Connect with someone. Many people with the disorder factitious have no friends or close relationships. Try to find someone that you can rely on, share pleasant moments with its own support.

Preparing for your appointment

People with disorder factitious is likely to first get the attention of this condition when the health care professionals raise the concern that mental health problems may play a role in a disease. If people have symptoms of disorder, factitious, the health professionals can obtain permission to contact family members in advance to talk about your loved one's health history.

Here's some information to help you prepare for the talk.

What you can do

To prepare, make a list of:

  • Your loved one's health history in as much detail as possible. Include health complaints, diagnoses, and medical treatments and procedures. If possible, bring the names and contact information of health care professionals or facilities that provided care. Help your loved one to sign releases of information to get the records and allow conversations with other health care professionals.
  • None of the current behaviors or things you see that make you think that your loved one may have the disorder factitious. Note any thing that your loved one has been avoiding because of the symptoms.
  • The key points of your loved one's personal history, including childhood abuse or other trauma, and the recent large losses.
  • The medications your loved one takes, including supplements, medicines bought without a prescription and the prescription of medications and doses.
  • The misuse of substances, including alcohol, drugs, and prescription drugs.
  • Questions for the health care professional to make the the majority of your discussion.

For the disorder, factitious, some questions for the health care professional include:

  • What is likely causing my loved one's symptoms or condition?
  • There are other possible causes?
  • How will you make the diagnosis?
  • Is this condition likely to last for a short time or a long time?
  • What treatments are recommended for this disorder?
  • How much do you expect treatment may improve symptoms?
  • How will you monitor my loved one's well-being over time?
  • Do you think that family therapy is going to help?
  • What are the next steps should be taken?

What to expect from your doctor

The doctor or other healthcare provider will probably ask you several questions, including:

  • What injuries or illnesses has your loved one recently been complained of or to have been treated in the past?
  • Has your loved one ever been diagnosed with any specific medical problem?
  • What treatments has your loved one had, including medications and surgery?
  • How often has your loved one changed the health care professionals or hospitals in the past?
  • Have any health professionals, friends, or family members had concerns that your loved one may be causing or contributing to a disease?
  • Have any health professionals, friends, or family members had concerns that your loved one may be causing or contributing to the disease in another person?
  • How to make your loved one's symptoms affected the work, school, and personal relationships?
  • Do you know if your loved one has caused self-harm or harm others, or suicide attempt?
  • Does your loved one the experience of any trauma during childhood, such as a serious illness, the loss of a parent or abuse?
  • Have you talked with your loved one about your concerns?
Symptoms and treatment of the disorder Factitious