Munchausen syndrome
Munchausen syndrome
Munchausen syndrome is a rare mental health condition where a person pretends to be ill. They may even harm themselves to cause or worsen symptoms.
They do this on purpose, mainly so that others will care for them and give them attention.
Common Symptoms
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
Causes
Munchausen syndrome এর কারণ কী?
Munchausen syndrome ঠিক কী কারণে হয়, তা এখনও পুরোপুরি বোঝা যায়নি এবং বিষয়টি বেশ জটিল। আক্রান্ত অনেকে মনোরোগ চিকিৎসা বা মানসিক মূল্যায়ন মেনে নিতে চান না, তাই তারা কেন এমন আচরণ করেন তা স্পষ্ট নয়।
তবে কিছু বিষয় এর পেছনে ভূমিকা রাখতে পারে বলে মনে করা হয়:
- শৈশবে মানসিক আঘাত বা অসুস্থতা, যার ফলে ব্যাপক চিকিৎসাগত পরিচর্যা পেতে হয়েছিল
- ব্যক্তিত্বজনিত সমস্যা, যা চিন্তা ও আচরণে অস্বাভাবিক ধরন তৈরি করে
- কর্তৃত্বশীল ব্যক্তি বা স্বাস্থ্যসেবা কর্মীদের প্রতি পুরনো ক্ষোভ
Diagnosis
Diagnosing Munchausen syndrome can be difficult. People with the condition are often very convincing, and they tend to be skilled at manipulating and misleading the doctors and nurses treating them.
Looking into the claims
If doctors suspect someone has Munchausen syndrome, they will look at the person's health records. They'll check these for gaps or mismatches between what the person claims about their medical history and what actually happened.
Doctors can also run tests to check for signs of self-inflicted illness, including whether clinical tests have been tampered with. For example, a blood sample might be checked for traces of a medicine the person shouldn't be taking, which could explain their symptoms.
Doctors will also want to rule out other possible reasons for the behaviour, such as faking illness for financial gain or to obtain strong painkillers.
Munchausen syndrome can usually be diagnosed if:
- there's clear evidence that the person has been fabricating or inducing symptoms
- the person's main motivation is to be seen as unwell
- there's no other likely reason or explanation for their behaviour
Treatment
Treatment for Munchausen syndrome
Treating Munchausen syndrome can be difficult. This is because most people refuse to admit they have a problem. They also often refuse to co-operate with treatment plans.
Some experts recommend that healthcare professionals adopt a gentle non-confrontational approach. This includes suggesting the person may benefit from a referral to a psychiatrist.
Others argue that a person with Munchausen syndrome should be asked why they’ve lied. They might also ask whether they have stress and anxiety.
People who have Munchausen syndrome have a mental health condition. Often they’ll only admit to having a physical illness.
If a person admits to their behaviour, they can be referred to a psychiatrist for treatment. If they do not admit to lying, most experts agree the healthcare professionals should minimise medical contact with them.
This is because the healthcare professional-patient relationship is based on trust. If there’s evidence the patient can no longer be trusted, the healthcare professional is unable to continue treating them.
Psychiatric treatment and CBT
It may be possible to help control the symptoms if the person admits they have a problem. They also need to be willing to co-operate with treatment.
There’s no standard treatment for Munchausen syndrome. A combination of psychoanalysis and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might be offered.
Psychoanalysis is a type of psychotherapy. It attempts to address unconscious beliefs and motivations.
CBT helps a person identify unhelpful and unrealistic beliefs and behavioural patterns. A therapist teaches the person ways of replacing unrealistic beliefs with more realistic ones.
Family therapy
People with Munchausen syndrome who are still in contact with their family may be offered family therapy.
The person with the syndrome and their close family members discuss how it’s affected the family. They’ll talk about the positive changes that can be made.
It can also teach family members how to avoid reinforcing the person’s behaviour. For example, this could involve recognising when the person is playing the “sick role” and avoiding showing them concern or support.
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