Munchausen’s syndrome — A small study

Munchausen syndrome, named after Baron von Munchausen, an 18th-century German officer who was known for embellishing the stories of his life and experiences, is the most severe type of factitious disorder.

Munchausen syndrome is a rare mental illness in which a person repeatedly pretends to be ill in order to obtain personal gains, such as prescription medications or money. Instead, the person is motivated to act in a certain way for a variety of psychological reasons, including a strong desire for sympathy and attention.

The person may fabricate symptoms, make themselves appear sick, or purposefully become ill. This mental disorder is most commonly seen in young adults and is classified as a form of self-harm.

It’s hard to diagnose because many other conditions need to be ruled out first.

Know who can be affected

Munchausen’s syndrome appears to affect two distinct groups of people. They are as follows:

1. Women between the ages of 20 and 40, often with a background in healthcare.
2. Unmarried white men between the ages of 30 and 50.

Although it’s unclear why these two groups of people get affected, Munchausen’s syndrome, according to some experts, is underdiagnosed because many people are successful in deceiving medical personnel. It’s also possible that cases are overdiagnosed because the same person can take on multiple identities.

Know the Symptoms of Munchausen’s syndrome

Munchausen syndrome patients purposefully create or exaggerate symptoms in a variety of ways. They may fabricate or lie about symptoms, injure themselves to elicit symptoms or alter tests (such as contaminating a urine sample).

1. Problems with identity and self-esteem.
2. Willingness or eagerness to have medical tests, operations, or other procedures.
3. An odd collection of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
4. The appearance of new or additional symptoms following negative test results.
5. Failure to improve despite medical treatment, including relapsing for unknown reasons.
6. Predictable relapses following improvement in the condition.

Munchausen’s syndrome is a difficult and very less understood condition. Many people with the syndrome refuse psychiatric treatment or psychological profiling, and it’s unclear why they act the way they do.

Munchausen syndrome is more common in men than in women. While it can occur in children, it most often affects young adults.

Know the causes of Munchausen Syndrome

Munchausen’s syndrome is thought to be caused by a number of factors. These are some of them:

1. Emotional trauma or illness during childhood
2. Any personality disorder
3. Any resentment of authority figures or healthcare providers

There are some risk factors for this Syndrome: Some people may have a higher risk of developing Munchausen syndrome than others.

1. Chronic illness during childhood — the person may have received a lot of attention because of their illness
2. Self-esteem or identity problems
3. Relationship problems
4. Difficulty distinguishing reality from fantasy
5. Ability to lie and manipulate
6. A history of mental problems such as depression, hallucinations or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Know how can we diagnose Munchausen Syndrome?

Because of the dishonesty involved, diagnosing Munchausen syndrome is extremely difficult. Before a diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome can be made, doctors must rule out any physical or mental illnesses.

If the doctor cannot find a physical cause for the symptoms, or if the pattern of physical symptoms described suggests that they are self-inflicted, the person will most likely be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health professionals who are trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses.

Know more on treating Munchausen’s syndrome

Although a person with Munchausen syndrome actively seeks treatment for the various disorders they invent, they are often unwilling to admit to the syndrome and seek treatment for it. This makes treating Munchausen syndrome patients extremely difficult, and the chances of recovery are slim.

It may be beneficial if caregivers can protect you from self-harm and educate you about the potential consequences. It’s also a good idea to try to limit your care to just one or two doctors who work closely together (psychiatrist for example).

Psychotherapy is the most common treatment for Munchausen syndrome (a type of counselling). The focus of treatment will be on changing your mindset and behaviour (cognitive-behavioural therapy). Family therapy may also be beneficial in informing your family members about Munchausen Syndrome. Group therapy may help you feel less alone or as if no one cares about you. Antidepressants and antipsychotic medications aren’t known to help.

Anytime you feel related to this and feel like you need help, please reach out to Know You With Me.