Saturday, May 25, 2013

What Occurs In Munchausen Syndrome Cases

By Esther Salazar


Munchausen syndrome is a mental disorder that causes the sufferer to make oneself ill on purpose or to lie about illness, presumably in order to get attention. Unfortunately it only works until it is found out that the sufferer does not have any other medical condition apart from the mental disorder. In most Munchausen syndrome cases, the individual moves from one doctor to the other looking for a cure for nonexistent illness.

Another variation of this syndrome is referred to as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, and occurs when an adult hurts another individual close to them so as to attract attention. For example, a parent may abuse children so that the family can get money, attention, or gifts from others. This behavior type can be generally classified as abuse, with those targeted mainly being elderly people, the mentally challenged, or kids who are unable to defend themselves.

Munchausen by Internet is another related condition occurring in modern times, in which the sufferer pretends to be sick or suffering from a certain disease via internet forums. The patient may even go as far as designing web pages to publicize their sickness. In most cases, the victim comes up with an online donation system to raise money, presumably to pay for medical bills and treatments. In reality, the sufferer is perfectly healthy and just wants to spend the money.

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.

It is of great importance for such patients to get treated to prevent harm to those near them or involved in their life. By seeking help, the individuals can avoid inflicting dangerous damage to their bodies. Figuring out what can be done to help these individual better their lives and those of others is very vital.

During the initial periods of Munchausen syndrome cases, the victim undergoes an examination by a physician in order to know their childhood history as well as their medical history. A majority of such patients are victims of child neglect or abuse. When they eventually become adults, they search for those likely to provide them with the attention they missed out.




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