There are people who feign illnesses because of an underlying personality disorder. They do so because of various factors like neglect, feelings of inadequacy, envy, neglect, etc. They perceive a situation to be created because of xyz reasons, which are not really the issue and some prefer being in a \’sick\’ situation. Factitious disorders are created by individuals who exaggerate symptoms because of an inner need to display that they are well with the world.

Here are a few types that are associated with Factitious Disorder:

-Psychosomatic disorders – where patients believe that they have acute problems like heart conditions, persistent fever, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.

-Psychological symptoms such as acute schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe mental illness, Ganser syndrome (associated with patients who cannot stand the treatment meted out to them in prisons), hearing voices, fear of dark spaces, etc.

-A combination of both physical and psychological symptoms which can be quite difficult to pin point, resulting in patients readily going through tests they believe they need.

-Attention seeking disorder where patients fabricate stories to gain sympathy

Cause and Symptoms

The symptoms border on the erratic sometimes because of the drama the patient brings to the table. The warning signs include excessive knowledge of all the illnesses possible accompanied by the feeling that he/she has the malady. Patients displaying the illness have an inherent need to be tested for all procedures to get to the root cause of the (nonexistent) physical illness. There is an unwillingness displayed where experts are not permitted to speak with members of the family or close friends. The diagnosis can be tricky because the patient is not being honest about his/her symptoms and doctors can be flummoxed about the extent of the problem (if there is one). Most often, if there are no physiological causes or symptoms, the patient is usually sent across to speak with a psychiatrist. The illness can manifest if the person has gone through tremendous stress in his/her life. If there is a trigger, the problem can spiral out of control and result in the illness.

Treatment

The treatment of the patient can be rather tricky for the doctor who has to analyze the extent of the problem. Since this is considered a personality disorder bordering on mental illness, the objective is to make sure that the patient feels safe and protected. Sometimes the problem could be very even and therefore the psychiatrist cannot take any chances of ruling it out as fabricated stories. The next step is to determine the psychological issues that cause the erratic behavioral patterns and this should be carried out gradually.. If medication is required, the specialist will ensure that he/she does not permit any additional dosage in case the patient displays tendencies of suicide to gain attention. Also, considering some may hear voices, they can end up being baffled and harming themselves just for more attention. It is up to the patient and the doctor to work in tandem to iron out the chinks. The objective of every professional is to make sure that no damage occurs on his or her watch.

Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women\’s Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women.
http://www.womenscenter.com/

Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women\’s Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women.
http://www.womenscenter.com/

Author Bio: Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women\’s Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women.
http://www.womenscenter.com/

Category: Medicines and Remedies
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