The Necessity of an Interdisciplinary Approach in the Treatment of Personality Disorder -munchausen Syndrome

Abstract

Summary

Patient G. D. born in 1975, trained as a textile worker, unemployed, married, mother of three children. The current hospitalization was due to suicide attempts and manifestation of depressive symptoms after a stressful event.

Our diagnostic dilemma was whether it concerns:

1. - depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms

2. - adjustment disorder in people with personality disorder

After applying diagnostic procedures and observations during individual psychotherapy sessions, as well as the response to a given therapy, psychotic depression is excluded. The stories provided from the patient were in conflict since they have changed in contact with different therapists in the same department, why we decided to consult other professionals from other departments at which the patient apparently was treated.

In this disorder the patient is aware that he is exaggerating and faking illness, but in core of the disease is irresistible urge for pointing attention, and the cause is most likely a lack of love and affection in childhood.

In psychoterapic process was included family therapist also. Family therapist confronted patient with family members, which resulted in a real insight into the mental state and allowed us to confirm a diagnose of histionic personality disorder with tendency to pathological lying- Munchausen syndrome.

In this presentation, we wanted to point out the necessity of cooperation of a psychiatrist with other specialists, considering that patients with this disorder are prone to change therapists, hospitals and faking the results of diagnostic tests.