What Occurs In Munchausen Syndrome Cases

By Esther Salazar


Munchausen condition is a mental syndrome that makes the patient pretend to be sick or intentionally make themselves ill just to attract sympathy. The unfortunate thing about this condition is that it only works until it is found that the victim dies not have any medical disease apart from the condition. During most Munchausen syndrome cases, the patient moves from one physician to the next one in search for treatment for a nonexistent disease.

This syndrome has another type known as Munchausen by Proxy, characterized by an adult hurting another close individual in order to get attention. For instance, parents may abuse their children so that the children and entire family as a whole can receive gifts, attention, and money from others. This type of behavior is generally considered a form of abuse, with victims likely to target the mentally handicapped, the elderly, or children who cannot defend themselves.

In this modern era of the internet, there is another variation known as Munchausen by Internet, whereby the patient announces their nonexistent ailments through internet forums. Some victims go to the extent of publishing web pages to inform others about their fake illness. Sometimes the patients design a donation system to facilitate the raising of money, under the banner of catering for treatments and medical bills. The patient is the real sense perfectly disease-free and only wants the money to spend.

There is quite a big difference between Munchausen and hypochondria, in terms of patient behavior and symptoms. A person suffering from hypochondria truly believes with all their soul and heart they are indeed ill. Ironically enough, a person believing that they are ill for long enough will actually cause them to be ill.

The difference between the two conditions occurs in that as much as a Munchausen patient lies about their illness intentionally, they have no easy control of doing so. Figuring out the difference between the two is quite difficult for an untrained person, with only a qualified doctor being capable of positively figuring out.

People with this condition pose risks to themselves and those near them. It is a serious case that can induce sufferers to begin hurting themselves intentionally jut to prove that they are ill. They can even do crazy things to prove their point, such as damaging organs or breaking limbs. Women have been reported to get themselves pregnant and then induce a miscarriage merely to draw attention.

To prevent such victims from harming themselves and those near them, seeking treatment for them is very significant. By getting help, the sufferers can avoid meting out damage to their bodies. Those around them should put effort in helping them improve their lives.

During the early stages of Munchausen syndrome cases, a doctor examines the patient to find out their medical and childhood history. Most of the sufferers were either abused or neglected as children. Therefore, when they become adults, they look for people who will give them the attention they never got.




About the Author: