posted February 10, 2013 09:47 AM            

Münchausen syndrome

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

is a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome, thick chart syndrome, or hospital hopper syndrome. True Münchausen syndrome fits within the subclass of factitious disorder with predominantly physical signs and symptoms, but in addition they also have a history of recurrent hospitalization, travelling, and dramatic, untrue, and extremely improbable tales of their past experiences.[1] Nurses and doctors sometimes refer to them as frequent flyers, because they return to the hospital just as frequent flyers return to the airport. However, there is discussion to reclassify them as somatoform disorder in the DSM-5 as it is unclear whether or not people are conscious of drawing attention to themselves.[2]

Münchausen syndrome is related to Münchausen 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. It is an obsessive want to create symptoms for the victim in order to obtain repeated medication or even operations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchausen_syndrome

edit to say maybe this is a SPITR topic as I`m not sure

posted February 10, 2013 05:46 PM            

For instance I know a few hypochondriacs and yes, it's certainly different. The Munchausen syndrome person will go to great lengths to try and get treatment, hospital admissions, regular doctors visits, telling people they have every severe disease known to man, ect..

To be honest, I've never been sure how to truly react, but Doctors are often onto it very early in the stage.

posted February 10, 2013 06:30 PM            

He also said if one tries to tell them they have this disorder or expose them, they go ever deeper into their alledged sickness and play on you by saying you are mean and unsympathetic.
I suspect I was unknowingly duped into believing one. I wonder if the disorder is treatable?

Just sad

posted February 11, 2013 12:48 PM            

SunChild, I understand about people who take advantange of the "trust" and honesty of others....

A long time ago I was posting on a messageboard where this woman was getting all kinds of sympathy and sugar from people "supporting" her... The thing is, I recalled other things she had said about this "awful" child she had!! and how "hard" she had it!

Well OMG!! From the things she WROTE, the woman was ABUSING this child she adopted as an infant.... She was reading 'pathology' into the NORMAL behaviors of a developing child. Now it happens that she-herself reported being abused; what I saw was that she was projecting onto this vulnerable infant, and trying to 'process' things that happened to HER via "making" this child out to be 'demon-seed'!!! She actually "shaped" or conditioned her own child's psyche to respond to this "mothering" in ways that led to breeding ill-patterns-- not that the child had started that way! OMG, this child had been on HEAVY psychotropic drugs AS A TODDLER!!!!!!! wtf?? "What" would this DO to her little developing brain and nervous system?? Side effects!!

I read how she described going doctor to doctor to doctor.... You know what? I think the 'doctors' had figured out that SHE was the problem and not the child! At that point, she'd switch docs again!

This (I believe) was MUNCHAUSEN / by proxy?

(juniperb.... cool subject, but really we need a different source than wiki on this one.... I love wiki, but I think this one is "not right"--- it reads like a 'political' rant, rather than actual psychiatric lit.)

As I said before... society needs to be careful about slinging around labels to HURT people... they tend to "pathologize" normal behavior. (And also, normal reactions to shocking incident; I wholly DISAGREE with the new DSM that wants to make 'death' and the NORMAL HUMAN grieving process into a 'disorder'??)

"Behavior" has double connotations.

For instance, riding around on my city transit system... On one side of the bus, a person was staring out the side windows across from her--- her behavior suddenly changed: she began making these "bizarre" faces, grimaces, squeaky sounds. This BEHAVIOR could look quite "psychotic" from a stand-alone observation.

But if I were to tell you that there was a little 3 year old squirming across the aisle from her, and that they were secretly playing a game of subtle peekaboo to break up the monotony and boredom of the ride, then doesn't that information put the "behavior" into a beautiful context??

But if people on the bus were her political enemies, and they wanted to HARM her reputation, they could "use" this incident!

Those who want to HURT others, would tell the part about her "inappropriate" gesticulations, grotesque faces, absurd non-sensical speech, regressive episode, acting child-ish.... maybe even get a youtube and make her look like a raving incompetent lunatic!

posted February 11, 2013 02:10 PM            

quote:

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This (I believe) was MUNCHAUSEN / by proxy?

---

I`m familiar with that disorder but the other syndrome was new to me.

I have been reading up on it (I agree about wiki) and it is actually common but usually a familys little secret.

It goes on for years and years with repeated episodes when they need attention. It explains so much to me and gives me a clearer idea how to manage the situtation as it arises. Now, how to explain it to others without sounding like a goof....

Yes, I see what you`re saying

posted February 11, 2013 03:18 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by juniperb:

I watched a case of this on t.v.`s Untold Stories of the E.R. last night and wondered
if you have family or a friend suffering from this mental disorder?

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Not that I know of.

posted February 12, 2013 08:13 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by juniperb:
Thet E.R. Dr said they drag other people into the drama to create sympathy AND have the people push the Drs to accuse them of negligence. It seems this takes over their lives and those who love them

He also said if one tries to tell them they have this disorder or expose them, they go ever deeper into their alledged sickness and play on you by saying you are mean and unsympathetic.
I suspect I was once unknowingly duped into believing one. I wonder if the disorder is treatable?

Just sad

---

I think my best friend's sister has this, but it revolves around her son's food allergies. She has been taking him to the ER for minor reactions to dairy since he was a toddler...she over-medicates him, IMO. She goes into his school every day to scrub down his desk in front of everyone, while glaring at the teacher, because she insists that there is dairy residue on his desk.

Meanwhile, my best friend has tested her nephew's allergies in a few ways, and he is not as sensitive as her sister believes. He can even consume small amounts of dairy without any noticeable reaction.

But his mother is convinced he will die if he eats dairy. And lashes out at anyone who might be contaminated with dairy. You have to sit on a special sofa with a washable cover when you go to their house; it gets washed after any visit. Just in case you had spilled milk on the underside of your pants.

posted February 12, 2013 08:22 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by turquoiseturtle:
Wow that Kaycee story is pretty sad.. It's amazing that someone would go to those extremes. I wonder what that woman was going through mentally and emotionally to live a double-life like that? Or what anyone goes through to put them into this situation.. Bless them all

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Crazy!

The sleuth-work involved reminds me of what I had to go through when my sister lied about getting married. Also, it reminds me of dealing with all kinds of liars in my life.

There is something called "Duper's Delight," it's this rush of excitement some people feel when telling big lies.

posted February 12, 2013 09:20 AM            

quote:

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But Ms. Swenson's fabrication was constructed so expertly and made so emotionally compelling that even when faced with evidence that it was not true, many people who were sophisticated Internet veterans set aside their skepticism and continued to believe it. Others put their online expertise to work to ferret out the truth about the fictitious Kaycee.

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While this was an internet lie, I can take this piece and have the gist of this horrible disease in one sentence:

constructed so expertly and made so emotionally compelling that even when faced with evidence that it was not true,

Faith, I am going to do my own sleuthing too. I expect a huge out cry, with tantrums, new ailments and another round of e.r. visits but in the end truth wins!
Your friend sounds like she may suffer from Maunchousen by proxy.

quote:

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There is something called "Duper's Delight," it's this rush of excitement some people feel when telling big lies.

---

posted February 12, 2013 10:24 PM            

How's everything?

I thought exaggerating an illness would fit the description of "faking." It's kind of a blurry line, I guess.

This woman I mentioned has issues with seeking too much medical attention, and it negatively impacts her son's emotional and physical health. I wouldn't have said it without thinking it over carefully, and I've known her since I was seven.

There's really no way for me to convince anyone, however. I was just saying, I know someone who seems to have this problem.

As for helping her, my best friend (her sister) is one of the most self-sacrificing, helpful people who ever walked this earth. Yet her sister deliberately sabotaged their relationship.

Also any time I have tried to be a friend to this woman, via email, I noticed she wasn't interested in any therapies that might help her son; she only wanted information that seemed to seal his doom

As for being a neurotic parent...lol, yes I can relate to that. It was crazy stressful for me when I had my first son.

posted February 12, 2013 11:01 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Faith:

I get the opposite, I feel wretched when I lie, which is why I rarely do it, and only under what I consider extreme circumstances.

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posted February 13, 2013 09:59 AM            

@juni

posted February 13, 2013 02:24 PM            

'Can't say I know exactly how you feel, but I've dealt with mental illness ripping a family apart before so I can imagine it!

I'm tearing up now because I'm at once so relieved that I'm not talking to my sister anymore, and not being pulled into her vortex of lies and pain...but sad for you that you are still in the thick of it.

I trust your judgement and take your side!

Wishing for clarity and strength to all involved.

posted February 14, 2013 10:01 AM            

I admire your courage to break the silence , stop the aiding and abetting and break free from the lies.

Hopefully, your family sees your courage and healing takes over.