Munchausen Syndrome

What Is Munchausen Syndrome?

Munchausen syndrome (also known as: Factitious Disorder) is considered a behavioral or compulsive disorder and is a serious mental illness. People with the disorder are not motivated by money or other material goods; their motivation is attention. They will falsify, exaggerate, or self-inflict physical symptoms to gain attention and sympathy.

People with Munchausen syndrome may convince doctors in many ways.

They may:

• pretend to be in pain

• exaggerate symptoms

• fake symptoms, including psychological symptoms

• poison themselves with chemicals

• infect themselves with unclean substances

• tamper with diagnostic tests – for example, contaminate a urine sample with sugar or blood

• interfere with a medical condition so that recovery isn’t possible – for example, repeatedly open or contaminate a skin wound or not take prescribed medication

• ignore a genuine medical problem until it becomes serious

What is Munchausen By Proxy?

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a mental illness and a form of child abuse. The caretaker, usually the mother, repeatedly seeks medical attention for fake symptoms, or real symptoms that they inflicted the physical symptoms on the child. Their goal is to make it look like the child is sick and to gain attention and sympathy. We don’t know what causes Munchausen syndrome by proxy, but many times the person was abused as a child or has Munchausen syndrome themselves.

A person with Munchausen syndrome by proxy often:

• Has medical skills or experience.

• Seems devoted to their child.

• Looks for sympathy and attention.

• Tries too hard to become close and friendly with medical staff.

• Needs to feel powerful and in control.

• Does not see their behavior as harmful.

Munchausen Support Group

Resources for Families and Frontline Professionals Dealing with Munchausen by Proxy