Factitious Disorder

 

A person with a factitious disorder willfully and consciously behaves as though they have a medical or mental ailment when not ill. When someone acts as though a person in their care has a disease when they do not, this is known as factitious disorder by proxy. Factitious conditions cause people to fabricate or exaggerate symptoms of illness in various ways, purposefully. To appear ill, they or the person under their care may lie about or fabricate signs, do physical harm to induce symptoms, or change test results.

 

Introduction:

 

A major mental health problem known as factitious disorder causes a person to appear ill or to manifest physical or mental sickness. Factitious disorder patients purposefully exhibit symptoms of an illness to receive treatment and attention in a medical setting. The advantage is thought to be primarily psychological and is not meant to provide them with any practical benefits. A mental ailment is regarded as an artificial disorder. It is linked to severe mental problems and increases the risk of patients hurting themselves by developing additional symptoms and undergoing pointless procedures and surgeries. Three categories of factitious illnesses exist:

• Self-imposed factitious: These include the fabrication of psychiatric or physical symptoms. An illustration of a psychological factitious disorder is copying behavior, such as that seen in schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. The individual may appear bewildered, utter absurdities, and claim to have hallucinations (the sensation of experiencing things that are not there, such as hearing voices).
• Factitious imposed on another: Individuals with this disorder create or fake sickness symptoms in youngsters, old adults, disabled individuals, or pets under their care. Although it can happen to fathers, it most frequently affects mothers who purposely hurt their kids to get attention. The culprit receives the diagnosis rather than the victim.
• Factitious condition that goes undiagnosed This category contains a condition known as factitious disorder by proxy, sometimes known as Munchausen syndrome via proxy. People with this disease make up or invent symptoms of illness in patients.

The deficiency of additional mental disorders and purposely creating physical or mental manifestations are also necessary diagnostic criteria. They must act to play the “sick” role; they are not acting ill to further their own interests, as is the case with malingering feelings. It’s known as “factitious disorder by implication” when the person blames a dependent, such as a child, for their fictitious illness.

 

Causes and Symptoms:

 

There are a few potential reasons for this pattern of behavior. However, it is unclear what causes the factitious disorder. People could feel more excited during medical treatments, have a greater need for attention and care, or feel more in control or accomplished when they trick medical experts. They might engage in this behavior to build and sustain connections or as a coping mechanism in the face of upsetting life circumstances. Someone who did not develop a healthy attachment to a caregiver as a child could go on to develop a factitious disorder to satisfy their need for care. Medical attention may replace critical needs that the individual never received as a youngster. 

To deceive people, factitious disorder symptoms may mimic, cause, or exaggerate a sickness, injury, or handicap. It may be challenging for individuals with the condition to recognize that their manifestations take extraordinary measures to conceal their dishonesty. They continue to deceive despite not receiving any apparent benefits or rewards or in the face of independent proof that contradicts their claims. The symptoms and indications of factitious disorders may consist of the following:

• Extensive knowledge of ailments and medical terminologies
• Uncertain or unpredictable symptoms
• Symptoms that deteriorate without apparent cause
• Conditions that don’t react to regular therapy as expected
• Seeking care from several different medical professionals or facilities, possibly while assuming a false identity
• Refusal to allow clinicians to consult with relatives, close companions, or other healthcare providers
• Recurrent hospitalizations
• Enthusiasm to perform risky tasks or conduct several tests
• Bruises following numerous operations or additional symptoms of multiple procedures
• Hospitalized with few visitors
• Arguing with the staff and physicians

 

Homeopathic Treatment for Factitious Disorder:

 

Changes in behavior and a decrease in resource abuse are the first objectives of treatment. The fundamental aim is to safeguard the safety and protection of actual or potential victims in cases of factitious disorder imposed on others. After the first objective is accomplished, the treatment seeks to address any underlying psychological problems that may be the source of the behavior. Psychotherapy, a form of counseling, is the primary therapy for factitious disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which will likely be the mainstay of the treatment, will aim to alter the person with the disorder’s thoughts and behaviors. Family therapy may also assist in instructing family members to refrain from rewarding or reinforcing the disordered person’s behavior.

Unfortunately, there is no homeopathic or genuine treatment for factitious disorders. However, medications may be prescribed to address any linked illness, such as anxiety or depression. Individuals with fabricated conditions must have their medication use closely supervised due to the possibility of hazardous drug abuse.

• Moschus
• Silica
• Argentum Nitricum
• Belladonna
• Ignatia
• Plumbum
• Sabadilla
• Veratrum album
• Tarentula Hispanica

Patients with factitious disorders risk suffering health issues (or possibly passing away) due to harming themselves or inducing other symptoms. They also run a significant risk of substance misuse and suicide attempts, as well as responses or health issues associated with numerous tests, surgeries, and therapies. The mistreatment of the victims and potential fatalities are complications of factitious disorder through proxy. Recovery requires a healthcare professional or family member to recognize or suspect something wrong in the individual and encourage them to seek appropriate medical care for their condition and adhere to it due to countless individuals with factitious disorders rejecting that they are pretending manifestations and are unlikely to seek or follow treatment.

Factitious disorder has no known cause; hence, there is no way to stop it. Early identification and therapy of factitious diseases can assist in preventing needless testing and treatments that could be harmful.