Munchausen’s Syndrome

Munchausen’s syndrome is a very rarely found behavioural and psychological condition where somebody induces or fabricates the signs of the illness in them.

People who suffer from Munchausen’s syndrome display the following behavioural patterns.

Lying about one’s symptoms and aspects of life.
manipulation of the test results
infliction of symptoms on self like self poisoning
visiting doctors frequently in various areas

Symptoms

Some of the signs of people having this syndrome are:

• visiting doctors frequently in various areas
• lying that he or she has very complex and critical medical conditions
• symptoms of the illness told by the person and the tests done for diagnosis do not match.
• worsening of the symptoms for no reason.
• the person has a medical knowledge
• willingness to take up dangerous as well as painful tests

There are four ways by which the persons who suffer from the Munchausen’s syndrome will induce or fabricate illness. They are

they lie about symptoms like seizures or severe headaches which cannot be proved.
they tend to manipulate the results like addition of blood in urine.
they inflict themselves by using an excessive quantity of a drug or poisoning themselves.
they aggravate any small conditions like applying things that may cause infection of a wound.

Causes

Even though the cause of Munchausen’s syndrome is not known, it is believed that people suffering from Munchausen’s syndrome already have some personality disorders where they have negative beliefs and thoughts about them as well as others. This causes them to behave abnormally.

Another theory states that people who suffer from Munchausen’s syndrome tend to develop an anti-social personality disorder. This leads them to feel a pleasure by manipulation of the results and deception of the doctors.

Munchausen’s syndrome can also be thought of as an attempt to develop relationships that are more acceptable by the society. Persons who have Munchausen’s syndrome are normally loners. That is why they tend to fabricate an illness to get the sympathy of the doctor.

People who have had a very traumatic childhood due to sexual abuse of physical abuse tend to develop Munchausen’s syndrome. But it cannot be believed completely as they tend to lie.

Treatment

A non- confrontational and gentle approach must be used to handle the persons suffering from Munchausen’s syndrome. This is because they tend to be non-cooperative on the various treatment plans that are offered.

There is no specific way by which treatment can be provided for those who have Munchausen’s syndrome. One of the best ways of providing treatment for those who suffer from Munchausen’s syndrome is to use a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and psychoanalysis.

Psychoanalysis is a psychotherapy type which uses the theories that were stated by Sigmund Freud. According to him, the psychological conditions have their roots in the beliefs developed during childhood. Psychoanalysis helps the person suffering from Munchausen’s syndrome to uncover these and form a better view on various conditions.

CBT helps the people to recognise the unrealistic beliefs they have about a situation and change the view into a more realistic, balanced ones.