Münchausen syndrome disorder that affects the whole family

• April 26, 2024

The syndrome of Münchausen, is a disorder that has surprised the specialists for more than 6 decades.

Despite the time elapsed there is still a great lack of knowledge about this disease, to the extent that there is no agreement among scholars whether this is a mental condition or not. There are those who affirm that it is a "behavior" that presents patterns that range from mild to severe.

In what all psychiatrists do agree is that the Münchausen syndrome is a very peculiar phenomenon that arises from a deep emotional need that the person has to be cared for and cared for.

Those who suffer from this syndrome need to seek medical attention repeatedly for conditions that do not exist or that are induced.

Such is the degree of attention it needs, that it can even create illnesses or induce injury to another person, usually a child, which is now often called fabricated or induced illness (EFI), for the sole purpose of seeking medical help.

The individual with Münchausen can pretend that he has symptoms that do not actually exist or can deliberately cause harm or injury to himself, such as cuts or bruises or ingesting drugs or toxic substances.

Many patients with Münchausen have a very broad knowledge of medical terms and procedures. The way they present their symptoms is often so convincing that it is necessary to carry out medical research and analysis to rule out a possible underlying medical disorder, "says Robert Hicks, an expert in family medicine and male health.

symptom

The most common symptoms that patients with Münchausen claim to have are: respiratory problems, allergic reactions, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, abdominal pain and fainting.

Often, those who suffer Muchausen go to different hospitals and clinics. And each time they tell the same or a similar story, and report that they have the same symptom .

In this way they are subjected to the same exams and again. And even if they go to the same hospital regularly, the accuracy of the representation of their symptom It results in the medical staff having no alternative but to re-perform the exams.

In the disease fabricated and induced the person invents the signs of a disease in another person. It is usually a father who creates symptom of a disease in your child.

This form of the disorder can reach more dangerous extremes when the father or mother causes damage or injuries real in your child to support their claims.

Who is affected?

"The disease often starts in the early stages of the adulthood and it's more common among men "saysHicks .

"Those who work in an environment of medical services are at greater risk of developing the disorder," he adds.

Experts believe that people who suffered abuse or neglect during their childhood have a higher risk of suffering from Münchausen syndrome. As little is known about the causes of the disorder, it is difficult to know how to prevent its development.

Treatment

The diagnosis of the syndrome is very difficult, and its treatment even more.If a doctor suspects that it is Münchausen and begins to question the patient about their behavior, they often become extremely restless or defensive.

Usually patients disappear to avoid detection and then seek help in a different hospital where they are not known.

Treatments should focus on the psychiatric disorder that underlies this behavior, which can be an anxiety disorder, mood disorder or personality disorder.

Video Medicine: ‘My Dad Has Been Faking Illnesses For 18 Years’ (April 2024).