For my research paper I chose the two mental illnesses of hypochondriasis and Munchausen by proxy. I chose these topics because I have an aunt related by marriage who is thought to have hypochondriasis and Munchausen by proxy because like hypochondriasis it can be used as a way to gain attention or sympathy from others. I will start off with hypochondriasis since it is the illness I have the most familiarity with.
Hypochondriasis is defined in the DSM-IV-TR under somatoform disorders as “Preoccupation with fears of having, or the idea that one has, a serious disease based on the person’s misinterpretation of bodily symptoms.” This preoccupation of having an illness will persist even after medical evaluation.
In the case of my aunt who I’ll call Bertha for the sake of anonymity she believes that she has multiple sclerosis (M.S.). She has claimed to have had it for as long as I can remember but shows no symptoms to the disease. One of the symptoms she claims to show is the intolerance for heat; this all changed when she desired to go Israel and her M.S. was miraculously cured. When my mom twisted her ankle my Aunt Bertha faked a seizure. We could tell it was fake because Aunt Bertha would stop seizing long enough to put more food in her mouth. She has gone to three licensed doctors who all said she needed to receive psychiatric help because she was showing no signs of M.S. My Aunt Bertha then found a all natural doctor who doesn’t use modern drugs or tests who confirmed her diagnosis of M.S. The doctor then proceeded to prescribe pills to my Aunt saying that they were the cure to M.S. that she had created herself.
As it stands there is no cure for multiple sclerosis so it stands to reason that the doctor is playing of my Aun...
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...ition, Description, Demographics, Causes and symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of Children's Health: Infancy Through Adolescence. Retrieved May 3, 2011, from http://www.healthofchildren.com/M/Munchausen-Syndrome.html
Pham, S. (2011, April 7). Arizona Mother Accused of Poisoning Baby; May Be Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy - ABC News. ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News. Retrieved May 3, 2011, from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/arizona-mother-accused-poisoning-baby-munchausen-syndrome-proxy/story?id=13308998
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Taylor, S. (2005). Current Directions in the Treatment of Hypochondriasis. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 19(3), 1-21.
Artingstall, Kathryn.. Practical Aspects of Munchausen by Proxy and Munchausen Syndrome Investigation.. FL: CRC Press, 1999. Print. (tags: none | edit tags)
Hypochondriasis is a mental illness wherein an individual is preoccupied with the fear of having or the idea of having a serious disease. It involves the misunderstanding of bodily symptoms. The sensations of most hypochondriacs are intense and disturbing, leading to incorrectly connecting the symptoms to a serious disease. It said that hypochondria is caused by a patients excessive worrying with having or developing a disease. Often these patients seek medical attention, but a doctor's reassurance does not help the situation. Hypochondriacs will still think they are sick no matter what the do. Generally, patients who suffer from hypochondriasis also suffer from anxiety. There are many effective treatments for hypochondriacs such as drugs, support groups and therapy. This paper will discuss the diagnosis, cause and effect of the hypochondriasis.
“Help, my daughter has stopped breathing!” she cried out entering the emergency room. In Sickened the autobiography written by Julie Gregory shares her abusive childhood to enlighten her readers about Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. With all the attention to protect children from abuse, how can child abuse not be recognized?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease affecting the myelination of the central nervous system, leading to numerous issues regarding muscle strength, coordination, balance, sensation, vision, and even some cognitive defects. Unfortunately, the etiology of MS is not known, however, it is generally thought of and accepted as being an autoimmune disorder inside of the central nervous system (Rietberg, et al. 2004). According to a study (Noonan, et al. 2010) on the prevalence of MS, the disease affects more than 1 million people across the world, and approximately 85% of those that are affected will suffer from unpredictably occurring sessions of exacerbations and remissions. The report (Noonan, et al. 2010) found that the prevalence of MS was much higher in women than in men, and that it was also higher in non-Hispanic whites than in other racial or ethnic groups throughout the 3 regions of the United States that were studied.
Forcing someone to take medication or be hospitalized against their will seems contrary to an individual’s right to refuse medical treatment, however, the issue becomes complicated when it involves individuals suffering from a mental illness. What should be done when a person has lost their grasp on reality, or if they are at a risk of harming themselves or others? Would that justify denying individuals the right to refuse treatment and issuing involuntary treatment? Numerous books and articles have been written which debates this issue and presents the recommendations of assorted experts.
When it comes to mental health and diagnosing there is many challenges that a therapist or clinician could encounter. In any professional occupation one has to consider all of the ethical principles put in place as well as the legal laws; if one is incompliant to these ethical guidelines in a mental health field, in varying circumstances, failure to comply with these codes could involve legal issues which could even result in lose of licensure. Common ethical issues involved in the mental health field could include: misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis, legal incompetence, and health care fraud (misdiagnosis for insurance reimbursement).
McCulloch, Lisa. "The California Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Http://www.dominican.edu. Rady Children's Hospital, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
In the book Signs of Life, the author Linda Seger writes about heroes, and their typical characteristics, that for the most part have always been the same throughout history. Even the word hero is already put in the male tense, suggesting there that most heroes have been and will be males. For the most part Seger’s points are well taken and are backed up mostly by every heroic story I’ve ever read or seen before in my life.
According to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The central nervous system (CNS) comprises of the brain and the spinal cord. CNS is coated and protected by myelin sheath that is made of fatty tissues (Slomski, 2005). The inflammation and damage of the myelin sheath causing it to form a scar (sclerosis). This results in a number of physical and mental symptoms, including weakness, loss of coordination, and loss of speech and vision. The way the disease affect people is always different; some people experience only a single attack and recover quickly, while others condition degenerate over time (Wexler, 2013). Hence, the diagnosis of MS is mostly done by eliminating the symptoms of other diseases. Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects both men and women, but generally, it is more common in women more than men. The disease is most usually diagnosed between ages 20 and 40, however, it can occur at any age. Someone with a family history of the disease is more likely to suffer from it. Although MS is not
Mental illness can be a mixture of different factors. You can get mental illness through genetics meaning that it is passed down within the family. That can only happen if the mental illness is heredity. Another factor of mental illness is psychological trauma. Psychological trauma like abuse, or loss can cause some mental illnesses. When mental illness is untreated it makes it difficult for the person to function in society and deal with everyday life. The different types of mental illnesses range from anxiety disorders to personality disorders. Other mental illnesses are mood disorders, eating disorders, psychotic disorders, and impulse control and addiction disorders. An example psychotic disorder schizophrenia. Examples of eating disorders are bulimia and anorexia. According to MedicineNet.com “Most mental illnesses are caused by a combination of factors and cannot be prevented”. Mental illness is something that should not be avoided. The biggest issue when it comes to mental illness that is noticeable is when someone who has a mental il...
Mental illness is more common than one would like to believe. In reality, one in five Americans will suffer from a mental disorder in any given year. Though that ratio is about equivalent to more than fifty-four million people, mental illness still remains a shameful and stigmatized topic (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). The taboo of mental illness has an extensive and exhausting history, dating back to the beginning of American colonization. It has not been an easy road, to say the least.
Parrish, Margaret & Joy, P (2004). Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Some implications for social workers. Adolescent Social Work Journal, 21 v. 2
The cause of hypochondria is unknown. Hypochondriacs do not make up their symptoms on purpose. The severity in which a person pe...
Child abuse can come in many shapes in forms. There are four different kinds of abuse that I will be encountering in my research paper; they are physical, mental, emotional, and neglect. Most abuse is from neglect and net from physical. The category under physical also brings in the sexual abuse. (Do Something) Drug addicted babies also can qualify under the category of emotional and mental category. Two of the main questions in this paper are what is child abuse and what are drug addicted babies lives like. It turns out that babies lives do get affected majorly after the age of four, we’ll learn more about that later though. (Kronstadt, 2013)
As a student who is interested in psychology and the way the brain works/functions, learning about the somatic symptom disorder intrigues me. I have never actually heard of this disorder before, but hypochondria is about the closest to a somatic disorder that I have learned about. Now, the first thing that really caught my attention about this disorder was the definition about it, “People with somatic symptom disorder become excessively distressed, concerned, and anxious about bodily symptoms that they are experiencing, and their lives are greatly disrupted by the symptoms” (Comer, 2014). This blew my mind. I had always know about people thinking they have had every sickness or believe they are suffering from something they are not, I am also aware of the placebo effect, but the fact that people can create such strong distress in their lives from bodily symptoms they experience is something that brought out my curious nature of why and how. Another thing that is very interesting to me is that there are two patterns of somatic symptom disorder, called somatization pattern (the individual experiences a large and even varied number of bodily symptoms) and predominant pain pattern (which is the individual’s primary bodily problem being the experience of pain) (Comer, 2014).