What Is Factitious Disorder?
6. How Is It Diagnosed?
Individuals with this disorder are very skilled at preventing false illnesses and being dishonest about symptoms, so they are often successful at avoiding diagnosis. Unfortunately, this causes individuals to have unnecessary surgeries, medications and hospital stays. It can be difficult to diagnose this disorder. Medical professionals who uncover dishonest medical history or see false symptoms of an illness are most likely to discover a case of this disorder.
Most diagnoses come when a doctor finds unusual symptoms or an apparent illness that isn’t presenting the correct symptoms. After testing, it may become apparent that an individual is claiming an illness he or she clearly does not have. A doctor will then refer the individual to a psychiatrist for a full evaluation and mental health diagnosis. A psychiatrist may need particular training on this disorder, as individuals may be presenting false psychological illnesses that mask the symptoms of factitious disorder.
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