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What is Factitious Disorder?

Factitious disorder is a mental disorder in which someone deceives others by appearing sick, by purposely getting sick, or by self-injury. The factitious disorder can also happen when a person falsely presents another individual, such as a family member, as being ill, injured, or impaired.

Factitious Disorder Imposed on Self

A diagnosis of factitious disorder “imposed on self” is based on:

  • Falsification of physical or psychological signs or symptoms, or purposely becoming ill, as an act of deception.
  • The individual presents himself or herself to others as ill, impaired, or injured.
  • The deceptive behavior is evident even in the absence of obvious external rewards.
  • The behavior is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as delusional disorder or another psychotic disorder.

Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another

A diagnosis of factitious disorder “imposed on another” is based on:

  • Falsification of another person’s injury or disease, including physical or psychological symptoms, through deception.
  • The individual presents another person to others as ill, impaired, or injured.
  • The deceptive behavior is evident even in the absence of obvious external rewards.
  • The behavior is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as delusional disorder or another psychotic disorder.

Mental Health Library Sources:

Information included in all topics of the Mental Health Library comes from the Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria From DSM-5 and Kaplan & Sadock’s Concise Textbook of Clinical Psychiatry. Complete diagnostic and treatment information may be found within these publications.

Disclaimer:

Information within the Mental Health Library is not intended to be used for self-diagnosis purposes. Rather, it is provided as a public educational service to make people aware of mental health conditions. Please consult a qualified mental health professional for a diagnosis of any suspected mental health illness.

© Copyright 2023 HUPCFL All Rights Reserved.

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