What is the difference between Munchausen's Syndrome and Hypochondriasis?

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Ok here's why I asked:

I know that I have hypochondria. It runs in my family. However, I also severely crave the attention and sympathy from doctors and friends and loved ones and what-not. So which one would you say I have now...?
People with Hypochondriasis genuinely think that there is something seriously wrong with them. They may have a headache and think they could have a brain tumor. Or they may see a mole on their skin and think they have skin cancer.
People with Munchausen's want attention and sympathy from doctors and loved ones so they make up symptoms and pretend that they are really sick. They research diseases and their symptoms and go to the doctor so they can get treated, and in their favour, be hospitalized.  (+ info)

How do you go about proving a mother has munchausen syndrome by proxy?

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I know this mother who since her divorce is doping up her children to no end. She has her 5 year old taking over 12 pills day plus over 3 breathing treatments a day. Her 13 year old and 10 year old are also on about 10 pills a day for various things. The children cannot even stay awake at school. 3 year ago before her divorce the children were not on anything at all and suddenly they have all these medical conditions. Any advice?
Wikipedia has a pretty good entry. Specifically, it has a list of clues of MSbP behavior.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchausen_syndrome

If you think the child is in immediate danger, call the local police department. They can send an officer to your house, and you can explain the situation.

If the child seems to be safe for the time being, contact Children's and Family services, and make a claim. Most states allow anonymous claims, but some don't.

Good luck. I hope the child can be somewhere safe soon!  (+ info)

In a munchausen syndrome patient. What do they normally inject into their bloodstream?

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Also what kind of illnesses do they fake and how do they do it? Just curious
Munchausen patients tend to seek emergency medical care and demand hospitalization by relating harrowing stories that are plausible at first. Somehow, they derive some personal ''pleasure'' from lying to doctors, apparently exhibiting a pathological need for attention. Generally, their deceptions and lies become apparent only long after they consult a doctor, and then only after extensive discussion and costly tests.

One reason why Munchausen patients succeed, at least for a while, is the trust that forms the basis of the patient-doctor relationship. Accordingly, most physicians will accept as fact a patient's description of fever or some other common complaint. Doctors check the thermometer (and urine, to corroborate the body temperature) only when they are suspicious. But even then, Munchausen patients are expert at subterfuge. They know how to fake elevated temperatures by rubbing the bulb of a thermometer against their skin or by touching it to a hot water bottle.

Some Munchausen patients complain of back pain and prick their finger to add a few drops of blood to a urine specimen, fooling their doctors into believing in a serious kidney problem. Others go through contortions to exhibit intestinal colic. Still others inject themselves with drugs to mimic conditions produced by exotic diseases.  (+ info)

How do I go about reporting a suspected case of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome?

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thanks to all who answered. I will definitely pursue this. Difficulty is that it is a family member of mine who I believe is suffering from this syndrome and I am the aunt of the children.
Contact your local Child Protective Services and file a complaint. They will look into it from there.  (+ info)

Can a patient diagnosed as having Munchausen syndrome be sectioned under the Mental Health Act?

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This lady has had symptoms for more than twenty years but has only recently been diagnosed with the syndrome. Over many years family life has been difficult and her son and daughter left home at an early age. Her husband is long suffering and now worries what the future holds for both him and his wife.
If it was Munchhausen by proxy then yes, definitely. The thing about sectioning is that ultimately it comes down to wether the person concerned is considered to be a significant risk to themselves or to others.

The main weakness of the Mental Health Act is that people with 'minor' (I am assuming she cant be easily recognised as a sufferer otherwise it would have been identified before?) mental health issues such as this, depression etc arent actually covered by any of the sub sections in the act - consequently treatment can be quite hard to gain!  (+ info)

The key signs of munchausen by proxy syndrome?

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Does anyone know the key signs of munchausen by proxy syndrome? Family members have told me that my mother in law is a perfect candidate and that I shouldnt leave my son with her. He screams and cries whenever she has him or even when she walks in the room :(
here is a story thats true.
My brother in law had a girllfriend years ago, she was ok at first, a little in your face but after about 3 months i noticed she was pregnant but not to my brother in law she was actually pregnant and didnt know it when they met.
he accepted the baby as hes a really giving person, but when she got to about 7 months she kept getting mysterious illnesses that she would have to got to hospital for.
The baby came early and was quiet ill ,and at 8 months the baby was hospitalised for serious infections,On the day this happend i had been to see how she was doing, and as i walked away within 1 minute an ambulance passed me i thought this odd when it turned into her drive way.
Later (2 weeks) at the hospital the doctors and nurses must have been suspicious of the childs illness along side myself, because they set up hiden cameras.
And guess what they caught her out smothering her baby and forcing it to swallow its own vomit which was causing infections.
I had nothing to do with her after that, but found out she has a previous child which was in the care of her mother for the same reason.
This lady even went to court, got off under the guidance of a physciatrist, and guess what had 3 more kids, all in foster care.
she was a liar, manipulative,and sneaky, and very self absorbed

Typically, the perpetrator feels satisfied by gaining the attention and sympathy of doctors, nurses, and others who come into contact with him or her and the child. Some experts believe that it isn't just the attention that's gained from the "illness" of the child that drives this behavior, but also the satisfaction in being able to deceive individuals that they consider to be more important and powerful than themselves.
WARNING SIGNS:

a parent or caregiver who isn't reassured by "good news" when test results find no medical problems, but continues to believe that the child is ill
a parent or caregiver who appears to be medically knowledgeable or fascinated with medical details or appears to enjoy the hospital environment
a parent or caregiver who's unusually calm in the face of serious difficulties with the child's health.

Causes of MBPS
In some cases, the parents or caregivers themselves were abused, both physically and sexually, as children. They may have come from families in which being sick was a way to get love. The parent's or caregiver's own personal needs overcome his or her ability to see the child as a person with feelings and rights, possibly because the parent or caregiver may have grown up being treated like he or she wasn't a person with rights or feelings.

Other theories say that Munchausen by proxy syndrome is a cry for help on the part of the parent or caregiver, who may be experiencing anxiety or depression or have feelings of inadequacy as a parent or caregiver of a young child. Some may feel a sense of acknowledgement when the child's doctor confirms their caregiving skills. Or, the parent or caregiver may just enjoy the attention that the sick child — and, therefore, he or she — gets.




Sad sick people who should not be legally allowed to concieve.  (+ info)

If Someone I know has Munchausen's Syndrome, what should I do?

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I think my sister may have Munchausen's Syndrome. How can I let her doctors and psychologist know? I don't think they suspect it, but I really think it needs looked into.

I know there's a lot of privacy regulations with the HIPPA laws. So I don't know what would an wouldn't be affective for getting the doctors to look into it.
I'm talking about Munchausen's Syndrome. NOT Munchausen's by Proxy.

If you think you're qualified enough to have a professional opinon, please let me know your email address and I can send you the complete story.
I know you mean well but leave the diagnosing to her doctors. You may be wrong. Munchhausen's is a serious accusation to make. Have you considered what would happen to her if you are wrong? That could follow her around for the rest of her life.  (+ info)

What causes or triggers munchausen syndrome by proxy?

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In the cases I have seen they themselves have been abused or neglected as a child and they have learned they get attention by that behavior, they are usually a very intellectually immature individual.

I always wondered if this could develop in someone whose parents didn't react appropriately to their pain or injuries, and then the school nurse for example, comes along and [from their perspective] showers them with a lot of attention; to most people it would be a normal reaction to the injury, and the child might yearn for it, potentially causing their own injury. This would be a great Master's Thesis project.  (+ info)

Is Munchausen syndrome also associated with people making up stories of being harmed?

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I know munchausen is associated with seeking medical help for fake signs and symptoms. I wonder if it is associated with seeking attention by blaming others for hurting them - i.e. assault or rape.
Yes it is. My grandmother had the syndrome, and she sought attention all the time for the above.  (+ info)

Is this a symptom of Munchausen Syndrome by proxy?

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If a mother tries to label her child as having aspergers or a mental illness, even going as far as taking the child to see a psychiatrist/psychologist and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the child, could this be a symptom of the mother having munchausen syndrome by proxy or is it just where the mother tries to make her child sick?
ok, what illness does this mother have? If she sounds ill. . if not please correct me
No....parents with MS by proxy physically make their children ill. She seems paranoid.  (+ info)

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