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Munchausen syndrome

Factitious disorders
Classification and external resources
Specialty Psychiatry
ICD-10 F68.1
ICD-9-CM 301.51
DiseasesDB 8459 33167
eMedicine med/3543 emerg/322 emerg/830
MeSH D009110
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Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves. Munchausen syndrome fits within the subclass of factitious disorder with predominantly physical signs and symptoms, but patients also have a history of recurrent hospitalization, travelling, and dramatic, extremely improbable tales of their past experiences. The condition derives its name from Baron Munchausen.

There is discussion to reclassify them as somatoform disorders in the DSM-5 as it is unclear whether or not people are conscious of drawing attention to themselves. In the current iteration, the term "somatoform disorder" (as used in the DSM-IV-TR and other literature) is no longer in use; that particular section of the DSM-5 has been renamed "somatic symptom and related disorders". Officially, Munchausen syndrome has been renamed "factitious disorder", with specificity either as "imposed on self" or "imposed on another" (formerly "by proxy").

Munchausen syndrome is related to Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP/MSP), which refers to the abuse of another person, typically a child, in order to seek attention or sympathy for the abuser. This drive to create symptoms for the victim can result in unnecessary and costly diagnostic or corrective procedures.

In Munchausen syndrome, the affected person exaggerates or creates symptoms of illnesses in themselves to gain examination, treatment, attention, sympathy, and/or comfort from medical personnel. In some extreme cases, people suffering from Munchausen syndrome are highly knowledgeable about the practice of medicine and are able to produce symptoms that result in lengthy and costly medical analysis, prolonged hospital stays, and unnecessary operations. The role of "patient" is a familiar and comforting one, and it fills a psychological need in people with this syndrome. This disorder is distinct from hypochondriasis and other somatoform disorders in that those with the latter do not intentionally produce their somatic symptoms. Munchausen syndrome is distinct from other psychiatric disorders such as malingering in that Munchausen does not fabricate symptoms for material gain such as financial compensation, absence from work, or access to drugs.


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