Factitious disorders

Uncommon disorders in which the patient deceives healthcare providers.

Patients are motivated by a desire to assume the sick role rather than by the hope to achieve external rewards.

Munchausen syndrome is an extreme form.

Factitious disorder imposed on another (previously factitious disorder by proxy) describes the clinical scenario wherein the patient feigns signs or symptoms of illness in another person who is under the patient's care, when there are no clear external incentives. It is a serious form of abuse.

Systematic evidence for directing treatment is lacking.

Factitious disorder is a syndrome in which signs and/or symptoms of disease are intentionally feigned or exaggerated by a patient when there is no clear external incentive for the behavior.[1]American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., (DSM-5). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013. The psychiatric nomenclature distinguishes factitious disorder from several related disorders by both the intentionality of the behavior and its motivation. Symptoms produced without conscious intent are considered a somatoform disorder. Symptoms intentionally feigned or created for some external reward, such as getting out of jail or obtaining unneeded pain medication, are considered malingering.[Figure caption and citation for the preceding image starts]: Distinguishing factitious disorder from related conditionsFrom the personal collection of Christopher P. Kogut, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA [Citation ends].