The History of Munchausen

Munchausen Syndrome, a controversial mental disorder, has been attributed to certain recurring medical patients since the early 1950s. The disease is characterized by a patient's constant exaggeration and falsification of symptoms in order to obtain treatment, examination and emotional attention. Some sufferers take particular disorders to such an extreme as to result in expensive medical bills and even unnecessary surgeries.

Origins

• Munchausen Syndrome gets its name from the enigmatic Baron Munchausen, a German-born nobleman who became famous for telling elaborate and impossible stories about himself. While studying factitious disorders--or medical disorders in which the patient deliberately lies or exaggerates symptoms--British Doctor Richard Ashler coined the phrase "Munchausen Syndrome."

Re-Definition

• While Ashler's phrase was originally used as an umbrella term to describe all factitious disorders, Munchausen syndrome has since been relegated to describing just two of them. First is standard Munchausen, in which patients continually exaggerate symptoms and diseases seeking satisfaction through medical scrutiny and emotional pity. There is also a disorder known as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, in which a patient--usually a child--is made to undergo treatment at the behest of a neurotic or flat-out abusive guardian.

Diagnosis

• To diagnose Munchausen syndrome, doctors must first rule out the disease or symptom the patient is claiming, which can take up valuable time. Also, the advent of the Internet has made medical information available to almost everyone, allowing Munchausen patients to increase their knowledge of vague symptoms, rare diseases and excessive treatments.

Symptoms

• The consistent symptoms in all factitious disorders have been excessive medical attention and past mental illness. While doctors are still required to rule out actual disease or infection when dealing with potential Munchausen cases, the availability of modern medical records has helped them see patterns in the patients' past that will ultimately save time and money.

Treatment

• The most common treatment for Munchausen Syndrome has been mental health counseling. Often there is an underlying neuroses, phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder that causes the patient to exhibit Munchausen tendencies. As Munchausen is, by definition, non-existent, the root of the symptoms must be carefully determined before treatment can be administered.