Munchausen vs Hypochondria

Discussion in 'Human Science' started by Orleander, Aug 19, 2008.

  1. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Is there a difference in these 2 ailments? There is always something medically wrong with both of them, even though they have no true physical illness. And do they affect one gender more than the other?
     
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  3. Hercules Rockefeller Beatings will continue until morale improves. Moderator

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    There are these amazing things called "the internet" and "search engines". Have you heard of them? :shrug:

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  5. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    I think the differences in many of these behavioural disorders is...behaviour patterns.
     
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  7. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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    M*W: I think the statistics are that both these psychological disorders are seen mostly in females.

    Hypochondria is the disorder of one thinking she/he has an illness when no illness is there. They may take all kinds of medications and dietary supplements to "cure" their imaginary illnesses. They are highly neurotic. They also may be lacking in positive social behaviors.

    Munchausen is named for Baron von Munchausen who, historically is known as a liar. This disorder is primarily found in females. I have never come across a study where it manifests in males, but they may be out there. People do this to attract attention to themselves usually through their children (Munchausen by proxy). They will go so far as to poison their child/children to get the attention they crave from the medical caretakers. They may inject their child with a toxin where the child ends up in the hospital frequently. When the mother is with the child in the hospital sitting, hidden cameras often find the mother doing something to harm the child. The mother is very familiar with medical issues and tries to cover up her actions. They are often caught on tape and CPS is called. I don't know what the legal charges are for this type of child abuse, but I'm sure there has to be a law against it.

    These mothers are highly neurotic and often have a hysteric or histrionic personality. They want to be seen by medical personnel as the child's doting mother, but pediatric staff is trained to spot such a person in their facility.
     
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  9. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    I imagine Mom's who have more time with their kids do the proxy thing.
    But are females for likely for hypochondria and Maunchausen? So hypochondria people really think they are sick, while Munchausen people know they don't have the illness and go to great lengths to make others think they do? Which is more common?
     
  10. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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    M*W: I suppose you're right about this. In a way, they are obsessed with their child's "illnesses," but they do it to attract attention to themselves. When their child actually dies from whatever the mother did to him or her, the mother continues to get attention (sympathy, unless she gets caught) and continues to rake in the attention she feels she deserves. If she doesn't get caught, she craves to hear, "I know you did everything you could to save your child." When that attention wanes, she goes for child #2 to care for his "illnesses." Eventually, all her children could die from her insanity, but then she will say it was from a "rare genetic defect." Hopefully, and now more often than not, the mother gets caught.
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    M*W: More often than males, but hypochondria weighs heavier on the females, but males can also use this to gain attention. Some really believe they are sick and go to doctor after doctor to get any treatments that could "help" his assumed "illness." Mostly females, though, so this would fall under the heading of "Drama Queen."
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    M*W: Yes, that's it in a "nut" shell.
     
  11. lucifers angel same shit, differant day!! Registered Senior Member

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  12. visceral_instinct Monkey see, monkey denigrate Valued Senior Member

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    You were vomiting blood???!?!! What the fuck did she do to you?
     
  13. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    so Luci, considering your monther was mentally ill, has she gotten help yet? Where was your family while this was happening to you?
     
  14. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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    M*W: Thank you for your reply. I am really sorry for what you had to endure as a child. I'm glad you have made it to adulthood.

    You are right about what you said that professionals were not trained at the time you were a child to recognize Munchausen's syndrome. In fact, it's only been within the past 15 or so years that medical students, nurses, and allied health professionals have been trained to recognize Munchausen's. I know this for a fact because I taught medical students, pediatric residents and nurses this subject (as well as other topics).

    Munchausen's by proxy is not as rare as some would believe. I've seen several cases in my career and was involved in a court case against one particular mother.

    I'm so happy for you that you survived. Do you mind me asking what kind of relationship you have now with your mother? PM me if you'd rather do that. Not much is published about the outcomes of these victims. I'd like to learn more about the children, like yourself, who lived to tell about it.

    Thank you for your post. I wish you the very best.

    ~ M*W
     
  15. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    I wonder if children who grow up in a proxy situation end up having hypochondria. They are used to something always being wrong with them, but there never truly is.
     
  16. Medicine*Woman Jesus: Mythstory--Not History! Valued Senior Member

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    M*W: These mothers are very clever and convincing. They learn all they can about childhood illnesses, and they are hard to spot, since they are very clever and sly. They are so astute in learning about pediatric diseases that they could converse with a doctor as if they were one. This, however, is a dead giveaway if they are not in the medical profession.

    The "illnesses" their children are hospitalized for are more vague than a textbook case. These children are subjected to all kinds of tests and painful procedures. They are given medications to treat the "symptoms" that are not only "described" by the mother, but the children actually have "symptoms" that have been caused by the mother.

    Most definitely the mother is a sicko to do that to her child or children.

    Fortunately, like I told LA, he lived to tell about it. Often this is not the case. I am particularly interested in this psychopathic delusion since I have seen it in several women. I appreciate your original inquiry, and I look forward to read more responses to it.

    Thanks,

    ~ M*W
     
  17. lucifers angel same shit, differant day!! Registered Senior Member

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    no in fact the opposite, most of us will avoid doctors, and only go when we are REALLY sick
     
  18. lucifers angel same shit, differant day!! Registered Senior Member

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    dont know i havent spoken to my mum for many years and frankly i dont want to, nearly 16ys has gone passed since i spoke with her last, i have to keep my kids safe from her and the things she does, she might even be dead i dont know,

    my family was in South Wales and it was a farily small town then, and M.M os right these mums are very good at hiding what they do and will even go to lengths has to break a childs arm, leg, they read a lot about medical procedures and they will seem like the doting mother, and now more and more fathers are doing the same aswell, but its still the mothers who do it the most.
     
  19. lucifers angel same shit, differant day!! Registered Senior Member

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    i still don't know to this day, i do know however that my mum used to steal medicines from the hospital where she worked has an NA (nursing Auxilary)

    it could've been anything she gave me from, bleach to obscure medicines she got from the hospital
     
  20. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Can the proxy part be made into another thread? It is a different condition than either manchausen or hypochondria.

    What do hospitals do with hypochondriacs? Do they have to humour them and do all the tests? Or do they give them an aspirin, pat them on the head and send them home? Seems like a 'boy cried wolf' scenario. Something will be wrong with them and no one will listen. Are the yhappy when something is finally found to be wrong with them? Is hypochondria an OCD?
     
  21. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

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    orleander, in most countries we have moved past the purly medical model of health. Hypocondria is quite often miss diognosed. Alot of the time the actual condition is anxiaty or depression. Health psycologists, clincial psycologists and mental health workers should be involved in all these sorts of cases.
     
  22. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    How does a physician get a patient to see a mental health professional when the person thinks its physical and not mental? Wouldn't they just go find another physician?
     
  23. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

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    depends if they are in the hospital or a GP clinic.

    if they are in the hospital its easy, they just order up a psych consult. if they are at a GP its slightly more difficult, you have to convince the pt to see the shrink of there own choice (unless they are a danger to themselves or others in which case you can involentarly detain them).

    I thought i was having chest pain from a physical cause, it turned out to be anxiaty disorder (which explained not only the pain but also my strange actions when i had the pain). I was convinced it was physical because thats what i get taught to look for and it never occured to me to look for a mental cause. The doc had to be very persusive to get me to go to a shrink
     

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