Munchausen’s Syndrome is an unusual psychiatric condition in which an individual makes up an illness or disability to satisfy various ulterior motives. It is categorized under factitious disorders in which individuals complain about fabricated or ‘made up’ illnesses to achieve certain goals. The symptoms of these illnesses are either self-induced or falsified by the patient. This disorder is also known as hospital addiction, polysurgical addiction and professional patient syndrome. Munchausen’s syndrome is named after Baron Munchhausen (Karl Friedrich Hieronymus Freiherr von Münchhausen) who purportedly told many fabricated and impossible adventures about himself.

In this disorder the person’s goal is to achieve the sympathy, concern, attention, investigation as well as treatment of symptoms of illnesses that are either fabricated or amplified by him. On a number of occasions, these individuals try and induce the signs and symptoms of various illnesses by taking drugs such as emetics, laxatives, diuretics, CNS stimulants or depressants or other illness-inducing chemicals such as cleaning products. In a majority of cases the symptoms involve gastrointestinal, genitourinary or central nervous systems and the most commonly feigned illnesses are joint pain, heart disease, kidney disease, migraines, back pain, anxiety disorder, depression, mania, arthritis etc.

Symptoms of Munchausen’s Syndrome:

The affected individual exaggerates or makes up symptoms of illnesses in themselves in order to gain, attention, sympathy and comfort from others.

Some of these individuals are highly knowledgeable about medical practice and procedures and are capable of inducing symptoms that tend to result in unnecessary medical complications.

Individuals with this disorder are consciously achieving frauds by faking the symptoms of diseases or disabilities and this fact is often reflected in their behavior.

They talk rather slowly when describing their symptoms and show a great deal of reluctance in talking about their illness.

If inconsistencies in their behavior are pointed out, deliberate deceivers as a rule immediately become more defensive.

Some individuals also get costly and painful surgical treatments performed in order to get attention.

Treatment:

Medications have not proved to be of much significance in the treatment of Munchausen’s Syndrome, except in the case of depression or anxiety. Psychotherapy is considered to be a better option for the treatment of these disorders. Family and group therapy options have long-term treatment benefits.