Treating Munchausen's syndrome
Treating Munchausen's syndrome can be very difficult because most people refuse to admit that they have a problem and will not co-operate with suggested treatment plans.
Non-confrontational approach
As a result of this, some experts have suggested that healthcare professionals adopt a gentle, non-confrontational approach. Therefore, rather than directly accusing the person of lying, they may suggest to them that they have complex health needs and may benefit from a referral to a psychiatrist. However, this suggestion is often rejected.
Other experts argue that a person with Munchausen's syndrome should be confronted directly with a question about why they have lied and whether they suffer from stress and anxiety.
One of the biggest ironies surrounding Munchausen's syndrome is that people with this condition have a mental health condition and are genuinely ill, but they will often only admit to having a physical illness.
If a person admits to their behaviour, they can be referred to specialist psychiatric services for further treatment (see below).
If the person does not admit to lying, most experts in the field argue that the doctor in charge of their care should minimise any future medical contact with them. This is because the doctor-patient relationship is based on trust, so if a doctor has compelling evidence that they can no longer trust a patient, they are unable to continue as that person s doctor.
Psychiatric treatment
If someone admits that they have a problem, and co-operates with treatment, it may be possible to help them to control the symptoms of Munchausen's syndrome.
There is no standard treatment for the condition, but a combination of psychoanalysis and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has shown some success in helping people to control their symptoms.
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a type of psychotherapy that is based on the theories of Sigmund Freud. Freud suggested that unconscious beliefs or motivations, often formed during early childhood, can be the cause of many psychological conditions. Psychoanalysis attempts to uncover and resolve these unconscious beliefs and motivations.
See the Health A-Z topic about Psychotherapy for more information about psychoanalysis.
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) works by helping people to identify unhelpful and unrealistic beliefs and behavioural patterns that they may have. A specially trained therapist teaches the person receiving CBT ways of replacing the unrealistic beliefs with more realistic and balanced ones.
See the Health A-Z topic about CBT for more information about the technique.
Family therapy
People with Munchausen's syndrome who are still in close contact with their family may also benefit from having family therapy. Family therapy involves the person with Munchausen's syndrome and their close family members discussing how the condition has affected the family and the positive changes that the person and their family can make.
Members of the family can also be advised about effective ways to avoid reinforcing the person s abnormal behaviour. For example, they can be taught to recognise when the person is trying to play the sick role and then avoid showing them concern or offering support.
