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The Munchausen patient in a forensic facility

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Abstract

The many reports in the literature of chronic factitious illness (Munchausen's Syndrome) have emphasized the difficulty of treating these patients because of their propensity to leave medical facilities as soon as the factitious nature of their symptoms is discovered, and because of their disinclination to accept psychiatric help. The authors report on their treatment of such a patient who was incarcerated for over ten years under a criminal commitment, and discuss methods for overcoming resistances to treatment in Munchausen's patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

    Robert D. Miller M.D., Ph.D. (Director of Forensic Training)

  2. the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA

    Robert D. Miller M.D., Ph.D. (Director of Forensic Training)

  3. Therapeutic Community, Mendota Mental Health Institute, USA

    Dennis M. Doren Ph.D. (Unit Chief)

  4. Mendota Mental Health Insitute, 301 Troy Drive, 53704, Madison, Wisconsin

    Robert D. Miller M.D., Ph.D. (Director of Forensic Training),  Frederick W. Blancke M.D. (Staff Internist) &  Gary J. Maier M.D. (Clinical Director of Forensic Programs)

Authors
  1. Robert D. Miller M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Frederick W. Blancke M.D.
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  3. Dennis M. Doren Ph.D.
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  4. Gary J. Maier M.D.
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Miller, R.D., Blancke, F.W., Doren, D.M. et al. The Munchausen patient in a forensic facility. Psych Quart 57, 72–76 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064979

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064979

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