In Münchausen syndrome, the affected person exaggerates or creates symptoms of illnesses
in themselves to gain investigation, treatment, attention, sympathy,
and comfort from medical personnel. In some extreme cases, people
suffering from Münchausen's 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 stay and unnecessary operations.
The role of "patient" is a familiar and comforting one, and it fills a
psychological need in people with Münchausen's. It is distinct from hypochondriasis
in that patients with Münchausen syndrome are aware that they are
exaggerating, whereas sufferers of hypochondriasis believe they actually
have a disease. Risk factors for developing Münchausen syndrome include
childhood traumas and growing up with parents/caretakers who were
emotionally unavailable due to illness or emotional problems.
Arrhythmogenic Münchausen syndrome describes individuals who simulate or
stimulate cardiac arrhythmias to gain medical attention.[2]
A similar behavior called Münchausen syndrome by proxy [as opposed to Munchausan syndrome] has been documented in the parent or guardian of a child. The adult ensures that his or her child will experience some medical affliction, therefore compelling the child to suffer treatment for a significant portion of their youth in hospitals. Furthermore, a disease may actually be initiated in the child by the parent or guardian. This condition is considered distinct from Münchausen syndrome. In fact, there is growing consensus in the pediatric community that this disorder should be renamed "medical abuse" to highlight the real harm caused by the deception and to make it less likely that a perpetrator can use a psychiatric defense when real harm is done.[3] Parents who perpetrate this abuse are often affected by concomitant psychiatric problems like depression, spouse abuse, psychopathy, or psychosis. In rare cases, multiple children in one family may be affected either directly as victims or as witnesses who are threatened to keep them silent.
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First published in 1952, DSM-I was 130 pages long and listed 106 mental disorders. DSM-IV, the latest version published in 1994, lists 297 disorders in 886 pages. DSM is considered the "bible" of psychiatric disorders, as it contains a categorization of symptoms that are used as "billing codes". These are essentially included in the DSM using a system of voting by the members of the American Psychiatric Association. Is your child having difficulty learning arithmetic in school? This is probably caused by 315.1 Mathematics Disorder. Having trouble dealing with your teenager? Undoubtedtly you suffer from V61.20 Parent-Child Relational Problem. Have you found that you sometimes forget things, now that you're a little older? 780.93 Age-Related Cognitive Decline, undoubtedly. And if you decide that your psychiatrist isn't helping you and decide to quit going, you're suffering from V15.81 Noncompliance With Treatment. It is quite a simple matter to subjectively find a code associated with any problem that used to be attributed to the process of living one's life; any person can be diagnosed with at least one disorder, syndrome, or problem. Having a handy code associated with any of such symptoms makes it possible not only to bilk insurance companies out of millions of dollars annually, it opens the door to prescribing drugs to "manage" the symptoms.
*The posts made in this blog are of our opinion only* Without Prejudice UCC 1-207
A similar behavior called Münchausen syndrome by proxy [as opposed to Munchausan syndrome] has been documented in the parent or guardian of a child. The adult ensures that his or her child will experience some medical affliction, therefore compelling the child to suffer treatment for a significant portion of their youth in hospitals. Furthermore, a disease may actually be initiated in the child by the parent or guardian. This condition is considered distinct from Münchausen syndrome. In fact, there is growing consensus in the pediatric community that this disorder should be renamed "medical abuse" to highlight the real harm caused by the deception and to make it less likely that a perpetrator can use a psychiatric defense when real harm is done.[3] Parents who perpetrate this abuse are often affected by concomitant psychiatric problems like depression, spouse abuse, psychopathy, or psychosis. In rare cases, multiple children in one family may be affected either directly as victims or as witnesses who are threatened to keep them silent.
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Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
First published in 1952, DSM-I was 130 pages long and listed 106 mental disorders. DSM-IV, the latest version published in 1994, lists 297 disorders in 886 pages. DSM is considered the "bible" of psychiatric disorders, as it contains a categorization of symptoms that are used as "billing codes". These are essentially included in the DSM using a system of voting by the members of the American Psychiatric Association. Is your child having difficulty learning arithmetic in school? This is probably caused by 315.1 Mathematics Disorder. Having trouble dealing with your teenager? Undoubtedtly you suffer from V61.20 Parent-Child Relational Problem. Have you found that you sometimes forget things, now that you're a little older? 780.93 Age-Related Cognitive Decline, undoubtedly. And if you decide that your psychiatrist isn't helping you and decide to quit going, you're suffering from V15.81 Noncompliance With Treatment. It is quite a simple matter to subjectively find a code associated with any problem that used to be attributed to the process of living one's life; any person can be diagnosed with at least one disorder, syndrome, or problem. Having a handy code associated with any of such symptoms makes it possible not only to bilk insurance companies out of millions of dollars annually, it opens the door to prescribing drugs to "manage" the symptoms.
*The posts made in this blog are of our opinion only* Without Prejudice UCC 1-207
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