Munchausen Syndrome's Shroud of Secrecy

One of the most fascinating mental disorders is Munchausen Syndrome. Classified as a factitious disorder, Munchausen Syndrome is rare. Factitious disorders are believed to be intentionally staged to satisfy unhealthy emotional needs. In the case of Munchausen's, the person seeks to gain attention of medical professionals, friends and family.

It's difficult to get proper statistics and information about Munchausen syndrome because the people who suffer from the disorder usually aren't truthful about having the condition. Sufferers maintain a shroud of secrecy so they can continue to do what's necessary to appear ill.

How do People with Munchausen Syndrome Behave?

If you have Munchausen syndrome, you'll tell others you have a particular physical illness or injury, and then do whatever is necessary to make it appear that you suffer from the chosen condition. Even medical professionals get caught up in the fakery of one suffering from Munchausen syndrome. A person with Munchausen deliberately falsifies physical symptoms.

Someone with Munchausen will behave like someone who has a particular physical condition. In a sense, he's acting or pretending. He's engaging in behaviors to make it look like he has the condition. For example, to fake having a fever, a person might hold a hot cloth to their forehead before seeing the doctor. Actually, those with Munchausen will even engage in behavior that's self-injurious just to get their points across that they are suffering from some physical malady.

A person afflicted with Munchausen's might even undergo unnecessary, painful lab work or engaging in self-injurious behaviors to convince others he's sick or injured. Experts believe the person's goal is to seek and gain attention and sympathy provided by health professionals.

Possible Causes of Munchausen Syndrome

Some evidence indicates that people who develop Munchausen syndrome are survivors of child abuse or neglect. Also, they might have suffered from a real medical condition as children that required hospitalization. Thus, they were often in the company of caring, concerned medical professionals.

Whatever the history of an individual with Munchausen, you can rest assured that he/she is suffering from a debilitating mental health condition. Not especially responsive to treatment, people with Munchausen rarely cop to having faked or contributed to their physical diagnoses.

Can Munchausen Syndrome be Treated?

Because of the nature of Munchausen, those suffering from the disorder rarely end up in a therapist or psychiatrist's office. After all, the true purpose of seeing such health professionals is to open up and discuss your own condition. If you're not being honest and in fact are faking a physical condition for emotional gain, you'll most likely not make it to a therapist's office.

Frankly, by the time a medical physician considers a diagnosis of Munchausen Syndrome for a patient he's treated over a few years' time, the patient has probably moved on to work with other health professionals. Because of the shroud of secrecy necessary to maintain the illness, it's unlikely such individuals will seek treatment on their own. However, if a person with Munchausen decides he wants to change, he will most likely be treated by a therapist using cognitive behavioral therapy to aid him in altering thoughts and behaviors.

A therapist might discuss consequences for some of his self-harming behavior (performed to help him fake the physical malady). Therapists could also exchange information on a consistent basis with other health professionals who work with the patient. Treatment initially focuses on encouraging the patient to see fewer health professionals regularly to reduce reinforcement of the unhealthy faking behaviors.

Although medications are not routinely prescribed for Munchausen, if the therapist uncovers other mental conditions such as anxiety or depression, which can be successfully treated with medication, psychiatric medications to quell those conditions may be prescribed by a physician.

In the event you suspect you or someone you love suffers from Munchausen, lift the shroud of secrecy and discuss your concerns with a doctor as soon as possible.

Sources

Cleveland Clinic website

Professional experience