MUNCHAUSEN

SYNDROME


ANEESHA RAO
INTRODUCTION
Mnchausen syndrome is a psychiatric factitious
disorder wherein those affected feign disease,
illness, or psychological trauma to draw
attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves.
It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction
syndrome, thick chart syndrome, or hospital hopper
syndrome.
True Mnchausen syndrome fits within the subclass
of factitious disorder with predominantly physical
signs and symptoms, but in addition they also have a
history of recurrent hospitalization, travelling, and
dramatic, untrue, and extremely improbable tales of
their past experiences
ORIGIN
The syndrome name derives from Baron Mnchhausen (Karl
Friedrich Hieronymus Freiherr von Mnchhausen, 1720
1797), a German nobleman working in the Russian army, who
purportedly told many fantastic and impossible stories
about himself, which Rudolf Raspe later published as The
Surprising Adventures of Baron Mnchhausen.
In 1951, Richard Asher was the first to describe a pattern
of self-harm, wherein individuals fabricated histories,
signs, and symptoms of illness. Remembering Baron
Mnchhausen, Asher named this condition Mnchausen's
Syndrome in his article in The Lancet in February 1951,

quoted in his obituary in the British Medical Journal

Originally, this term was used for all factitious
disorders. Now, however, there is considered to be a
wide range of factitious disorders, and the diagnosis
of "Mnchausen syndrome" is reserved for the most
severe form, where the simulation of disease is the
central activity of the affected person's life.
CAUSE
Although there is no specific cause for Munchausen syndrome, like
most other mental disorders, it is understood to be the result of a
combination of biological vulnerabilities, ways of thinking, and social
stressors .
Psychologically, sufferers of this mental illness tend to have an I
increased need for control, an imbalance in the level of self-esteem
(either low or excessively high
depression, anxiety,
substance abuse.
Personality traits of individuals who have a history of feigning or
inducing symptoms in themselves include
unstable relationships
recurrent self-mutilation, and/or recurrent thoughts or attempts
at suicide
antisocial personality disorder
RISK FACTORS
enduring a major negative event (trauma) during
their own childhood (such as a serious illness of
themselves, a close family member or friend)
having a grudge against the medical profession or
having been themselves the victim of neglect,
physical or sexual abuse
other forms of maltreatment during childhood.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
heart symptoms like fainting and chest pain,
ear problems seen by specialists in that area
overtly psychiatric symptoms like hallucinations
sufferers may have in common a tendency to seek care from
multiple care providers and hospitals, seem excessively
pleased to be subjected to multiple tests and procedures
have symptoms that are vague and/or inconsistent with test
results
have an illogical course to their illness, usually worsening, an
unwillingness to allow current health care professionals to talk
to family members or previous care providers, and an
excessive desire to receive medications.
the symptoms of Munchausen syndrome are very similar in
children and adolescents as they are in adults.
WAYS TO FAKE
SYMPTOMS
taking laxatives or blood thinners
ingesting or injecting themselves with bacteria
cutting or burning themselves, and disrupting
their healing process such as reopening wounds.
Severe health problems, serious injuries, loss of
limbs or organs, and even death are possible
complications.
DIAGNOSIS
There is no specific definitive test, like a blood test,
that can accurately assess that a person has
Munchausen syndrome. Therefore, practitioners
conduct a mental health interview that looks for the
presence of the symptoms described.
Purposeful production or pretending to have physical
or mental health signs or symptoms
Being able to assume the role of a sick person is the
motivation for the behavior
Other motivators for the behavior (for example,
financial gain, avoiding legal consequences, or
improving physical well-being) are not present.

TREATMENT
Due to the chronic nature of the illness, as well as the
tendency of sufferers to flee treatment, the
treatment of Munchausen syndrome can be difficult.
No single approach is consistently effective in
managing this illness
Confronting victims of Munchausen syndrome does
not seem to be an effective part of treatment of this
illness. Rather, the sufferer is at even higher risk of
prematurely ending medical care in response to being
confronted, only to resume getting unnecessary tests
and treatments from a new care provider.
CARE GIVING
showing empathy for the difficulties of what led to the
development of the disorder while encouraging the victim
to adapt new ways of managing their feelings are important
aspects of addressing Munchausen syndrome.
Maintain supportive relationship with the individual with
this illness
keep in close contact with the family of the sufferer in
order to educate family members about the victim's
behaviors and need for attention.
maintaining frequent communication with other health care
professionals as a means of educating those providers
about this diagnosis and preventing the perpetuation of
unnecessary tests and procedures.
Munchausen syndrome can have significantly negative
effects on the lives of individual sufferers and on the
community at large. It is estimated that this disorder
results in about $40 million per year in unnecessary
tests and other medical resources
Of related note is the associated high completed
suicides at a rate of 30%-70%. Males tend to have
worse outcomes than females.
PREVENTION
early detection of child abuse,
education of parents, and other family members
of the importance of seeing the needs for
attention by seriously ill family members and for
those close to them may go a long way toward
preventing Munchausen syndrome from occurring
in the family.
If signs of the illness are detected, the earlier
they can be addressed, both in the course of the
illness and at the youngest age possible for the
sufferer, the better the likely outcome
MNCHAUSEN BY
INTERNET
Mnchausen by Internet is a pattern of behavior in
which Internet users seek attention by feigning
illnesses in online venues such as chat rooms, message
boards, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC). It has been
described in medical literature as a manifestation
of factitious disorder or factitious disorder by proxy.

Reports of users who deceive Internet forum
participants by portraying themselves as gravely ill or
as victims of violence first appeared in the 1990s due
to the relative newness of Internet communications.
The pattern was identified in 1998 by psychiatrist
Marc Feldman, who created the term "Mnchausen by
Internet" in 2000.
MNCHAUSEN
SYNDROME BY PROXY
Mnchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP or MBP)
is a controversial term that is used to describe a
behavior pattern in which
a caregiver deliberately exaggerates, fabricates,
and/or induces physical, psychological, behavioral,
and/or mental health problems in those who are
in their care
CONCLUSION
Munchausen syndrome is a mental disorder that is
characterized by the sufferer causing or pretending to
have physical or psychological symptoms in his or herself.
Adults aged 20-40 years are the most likely groups to
develop Munchausen syndrome. Women with some
knowledge or training in health care and men with little
familial attachment are particularly vulnerable to this
disorder.
Munchausen syndrome is often either preceded by or
coexists with Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
It is estimated that Munchausen syndrome occurs in 0.5%-
2% of the United States population, with higher tendencies
to occur in subpopulations like people who have been
diagnosed as having psychosis or fever of unknown origin.

Although there is no specific cause for Munchausen
syndrome, risk factors for the disorder tend to be
psychological as in having borderline or antisocial
personality traits or a grudge against the medical
profession and social, like having a personal or familial
history of serious illness or a history of neglect,
abuse, or other maltreatment.
Due to the chronic nature of the illness, as well as the
tendency of sufferers to flee treatment, the
treatment of Munchausen syndrome is difficult. No
single approach is consistently effective in managing
this illness.