Medically Unexplained symptom/ inventing/ caliming symptoms

Question 1

What is it called when people purposefully cause symptoms?

What other psychiatric conditions is it associaed with?

Answer 1

Münchhausen syndrome

patients intentionally falsify signs and symptoms in order to assume the role of a sick patient (primary gain).

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Associated with a history of significant exposure to health care and personality disorders

Question 2

What is the definiton of somatisation disorders?

Answer 2

Clinical and diagnostic study results cannot be fully explained by a recognized medical condition

• multiple physical SYMPTOMS present for at least 2 years
• patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results

Question 3

What are the diagnostic criteria of Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis)?

Answer 3

• persistent belief in the presence of an underlying serious DISEASE, e.g. cancer
• patient again refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results

Question 4

What is conversion disorder?

Answer 4

A somatic symptom disorder characterized by significant distress and/or psychosocial impairment caused by neurologic symptoms (e.g., paralysis, weakness, visual disturbances) that cannot be fully attributed to another condition

• typically involves loss of motor or sensory function
• the patient doesn’t consciously feign the symptoms (factitious disorder) or seek material gain (malingering)
• patients may be indifferent to their apparent disorder - la belle indifference - although this has not been backed up by some studies

Question 5

What is Malingering?

Answer 5

fraudulent simulation or exaggeration of symptoms with the intention of financial or other gain