A Fundamental Guide To Factitious Disorder

Professional Treatment Options

Factitious disorder is hard for doctors to treat, given their patients want to be sick and receive care for those illnesses, and not for the underlying condition causing them to do those things. Due to this, doctors and loved ones must tread carefully when trying to get someone treatment for factitious disorder. This may mean taking a softer approach and not directly accusing them of making things up. It also implies treatment for factitious disorder will shift on a case by case basis.

With this in mind, however, some of the typical treatment strategies for factitious disorder include having one primary doctor oversee and manage the individual’s treatment plan, including reducing visits to other medical professionals such as surgeons and specialists. In many instances, psychotherapy will play a role in treating factitious disorder to help the individual develop coping mechanisms instead of succumbing to the desire to be ill and inflicting pain. Psychotherapy will also address any other potential mental illnesses the patient may have, such as depression or personality disorders. Medication may also be required to treat these additional mental illnesses. In the most severe cases of factitious disorder, a hospital stay in the psychiatric ward may be necessary for the patient's safety and to kickstart treatment.

Continue reading to discover how lifestyle adjustments come into play when treating factitious disorder.