7 Signs and Symptoms of Munchausen Syndrome?

Munchausen syndrome is a specific condition in which a person intentionally fakes, simulates, worsens, or self-induces an injury or illness for the main purpose of being treated like a medical patient. Munchausen syndrome was named after a German military man, Baron von Munchausen, who traveled around telling fantastic tales about his imaginary exploits. In 1951, Richard Asher applied the term to people traveling from hospital to hospital, making up various illnesses.



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Symptoms
Factitious disorder symptoms involve mimicking or producing illness or injury or exaggerating symptoms or impairment to trick others to believe them. People with the disorder go to great lengths to hide their deception, so it can be very difficult to realize that their symptoms are actually part of a serious mental health disorder. Most often, they continue with the deception, even without receiving any visible benefit or reward or when faced with objective evidence that doesn't support their claims.
Factitious disorder signs and symptoms may include:

• Clever and convincing medical or psychological problems
• Extensive knowledge of medical terms and diseases
• Conditions that get worse for no apparent reason
• Seeking treatment from many different doctors or hospitals, which may include using a fake name

Causes

The exact cause of the disease is not known, but researchers believe both biological and psychological factors play a role in the development of this syndrome. Some theories suggest that a history of abuse or neglect as a child, or a history of frequent illnesses requiring hospitalization, might be some of the factors associated with the development of this unusual syndrome. Researchers also are studying the possible connection with personality disorders, which are common in these individuals.