>>18627413
Falsifying an Illness: What Is Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy?
Persistently and falsely claiming someone under your care is in poor health is often referred to as Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Munchausen syndrome refers to someone deliberately and persistently faking their physical or mental illness symptoms or magnifying signs or symptoms of an illness.
When the person shows this behavior toward someone else, like a child, it’s referred to as Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Munchausen syndrome vs. Munchausen syndrome by proxy
In the DSM-5, Munchausen syndrome is a factitious disorder imposed on self. This is the intentional falsification of your own medical symptoms despite no external benefits.
Falsifying, causing, or exaggerating symptoms in someone else for no obvious gain refers to a factitious disorder imposed on another. For example, a mother who persistently claims their child is ill, even when she knows it isn’t true.
The exact prevalence of these conditions is unknown, but the DSM-5 estimates it at approximately 1% or less of the general population.
Symptoms of Munchausen syndrome by proxy
The DSM-5 establishes these criteria to diagnose factitious disorder by proxy:
falsely presenting or causing physical or mental health symptoms in someone else with the intent of deception
authoritatively and falsely presenting another (adult, child, or pet) to others as physically or mentally impaired
the deceptive behavior occurs even when there’s no obvious gain or benefit
no other mental health condition can explain these behaviors
https://psychcentral.com/disorders/munchausen-syndrome-by-proxy#symptoms