Most people don’t enjoy being sick or injured. Some people, however, will purposefully make themselves sick or pretend to be sick so that they can be the center of attention.
Factitious Disorder Imposed on Self, previously called Munchausen Syndrome, is a psychological disorder that does just that. People with Munchausen will go to great lengths to appear sick and be cared for by doctors, medical professionals, friends, family, and other people.
This article will cover Munchausen Syndrome causes, symptoms, treatments, and how to deal with someone who is lying to you about their health.
What Is Munchausen Syndrome?
The goal of someone with Munchausen Syndrome is to be sick enough that people will pay attention to them. They crave feeling cared for and feel as if the only way they can get that is by being ill.
Munchausen Syndrome is not acting sick in order to get benefits (like sick time or disability pay). The only reason people with Munchausen Syndrome act sick is to gain attention, sympathy, pity, and extra care.
What Causes Munchausen Syndrome?
Munchausen Syndrome isn’t well researched. It can be hard to identify people with this disorder because they are expert liars (often compulsive liars) and will move to different hospitals and healthcare organizations if they think they are being found out.
People with this disorder are also unlikely to admit they need help and are very unlikely to seek help.
All of this makes it difficult to conduct studies on Munchausen Syndrome. However, researchers believe that some causes may include:
- Childhood Trauma: Children who are neglected or abused may learn early on that the only way they can receive care or attention from their parents is by being sick or injured. As an adult, they may lie about their health as a way to receive attention because they believe it is the only way they can receive positive attention.
- Medical trauma as a child: Some studies have found that children who live through severe medical illness or surgery are more likely to have Munchausen Syndrome as adults. They associate being sick with receiving care and are unable to break this behavioral pattern as adults.
- Personality Disorder: Some personality disorders, such as Borderline Personality Disorder and Histrionic Personality Disorder, may cause Munchausen Syndrome. These disorders are all characterized by excessive attention-seeking behaviors.
There are other personality traits and traumatic events that may trigger or help cause Munchausen Syndrome:
- Low self-esteem
- A desire to punish oneself for something
- Poor sense of identity
- Loss of a loved one through illness or injury
Working in the healthcare field may also be a risk factor.
Remember that none of these things is the sole cause of Munchausen Syndrome. It is a complicated disorder that is brought on by many factors.
Munchausen Syndrome Symptoms
How can you tell if you or someone you love has Munchausen Syndrome? Look for these behaviors:
- They exaggerate symptoms: Chest tightness becomes an imminent heart attack, or being slightly dizzy makes them pass out. A simple cold may leave them lying in bed for weeks, unable to get up.
- They make up medical histories: Lying about medical history, like having survived a major illness or having to have multiple surgeries, is also common.
- They make up symptoms: They make fake symptoms such as stomach pains, vomiting, fevers (sometimes by taking medication they shouldn’t be), passing out, or seizures.
- They hurt themselves: They may cause injuries or worsen them. They may expose themselves to dangerous bacteria or expired food, take medicines they shouldn’t be on to mimic symptoms, or reopen or infect cuts.
- They tamper with medical tests: Heating up thermometers, putting blood in their urine samples, or taking supplements or medications to skew blood tests are all things that people with Munchausen Syndrome may do.
Other symptoms to look out for include:
- Frequent hospital visits with vague or dramatic medical complaints
- Inconsistent or unusual medical histories that don’t match test results
- Eagerness for medical tests or surgeries, even when unnecessary
- Worsening symptoms that seem to occur only when being observed
- Extensive knowledge of medical terminology or hospital routines
- Symptoms that don’t respond to standard treatment in expected ways
- Reluctance to allow doctors to speak with previous providers or family
- Pressuring providers for more tests, medications, or interventions
- Leaving hospitals against medical advice when confronted or questioned
- Multiple scars or signs of repeated procedures
- A strong need for attention, sympathy, or care from medical staff
- History of visiting many different hospitals or doctors (“doctor hopping”)
- Co-occurring mental health concerns, such as trauma history or personality disorders (not a symptom, but commonly associated)
People with Munchausen Syndrome know they aren’t truly sick and will work hard to cover their tracks. They may switch doctors and move around to avoid suspicion.
How to Treat Munchausen Syndrome
Treating Munchausen Syndrome is difficult because most people with it don’t want any help. When confronted with it, they will deny and leave the situation to seek medical assistance elsewhere.
When people with Munchausen Syndrome do seek treatment, therapy is effective.
- Psychotherapy, especially Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to address underlying emotional needs and unhealthy coping patterns
- Treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or personality disorders
- Developing healthier coping skills and emotion-regulation strategies
- Building a long-term therapeutic relationship with one consistent provider
- Coordinated care among medical and mental health professionals to reduce unnecessary tests and procedures
- Setting clear medical boundaries while offering support and compassion
Contact Lifebulb Counseling to start treatment of Munchausen Syndrome today.
How to Help Someone with Munchausen Syndrome
If someone you know or love has Munchausen Syndrome, you know how exhausting, terrifying, and frustrating it can be. Munchausen Syndrome can ruin relationships. As much as the people with this disorder crave attention and care, their actions are the very things that push people away from them.
The best way to help someone with Munchausen Syndrome is to get them to see a psychiatrist or mental health provider. Here are some ways to approach that situation:
- Confront their behavior directly. But don’t just focus on their medical history. Ask about their mental and emotional state. This can lead to you recommending a psychiatrist or therapist.
- Refer them to a psychiatrist or therapist without addressing why. Encourage them to talk to someone because you're worried about them.
- Don’t accuse them of lying. This can feel like a personal attack, and you might be met with anger, avoidance, or aggression.
Remember that Munchausen Syndrome is a serious condition. People with it don’t always understand the harm they are doing to themselves and the people around them. Getting them to see a mental health care provider is the best thing you can do.
Living with someone with Munchausen Syndrome can be exhausting. Here are some tips on how to deal with it
- Get educated about Munchausen Syndrome
- Support, don’t enable
- Help them follow their treatment plan
- Dispense their medications
- Set boundaries for yourself
- Avoid overly emotional responses, especially when they are lying about symptoms
You still want to keep them safe. But remember that the core reason behind Munchausen Syndrome is the desire for attention and care. Providing flat, emotionless responses and avoiding going out of your way to provide extra care are good ways to not enable someone while still ensuring their physical safety.
As always, talking to a therapist yourself can help. Living with someone with Munchausen Syndrome can be incredibly exhausting. Taking care of your own mental health will help set the tone for their recovery as well.
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
Also known as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another, Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is a dangerous mental health condition that has real, lasting, severe effects both on the person with it and the people they abuse.
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is making someone under your care, usually a child, sick. It can also look like pretending someone under your care is sick. It is a form of child abuse.
This might involve making false medical claims, making them sick, changing test results, or interfering with treatment (like refusing to give them their medications).
If you think you or someone you know is a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, contact a healthcare provider or social worker. If you are in immediate harm, call 911.
