The Fabrication an Illness
October 24, 2022 2022-10-24 9:38The Fabrication an Illness
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
The human brain is a complex and intricate organ, with a vast array of information yet to explore. But as scientists research this enigma, there are often more questions than answers with each discovery.
One such case is a rare mental disorder named Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, which leaves experts in the medical field perplexed. Those afflicted are usually a parent or caregiver who projects false symptoms of illness -either physically or psychologically- in a child or, in some cases, elders. It is vastly similar to Munchausen Syndrome, where one induces false symptoms towards themselves. The term originated from 18th-century German cavalry officer Baron von Munchausen for his fabricated stories about his traveling days.
British endocrinologist Richard Asher named the disorder after the officer in 1951 when he first encountered its symptoms in others. He saw how patients repetitively attempted to convince others, especially doctors, of their sicknesses by any means necessary. Almost two decades later, in 1977, Roy Meadow coined the word Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy when he saw caregivers cause affliction to many of their dependents. Over the years, specialists have performed various tests and studies to decipher the root cause of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy but continue to struggle.
The conclusion many come up with is the patient’s childhood life. Experiencing abuse or neglect as a child may cause the caregiver to have such mental patterns that result in the fabrication of illnesses in others. However, the methods used are not always easy to discover. The caregiver usually takes great interest in the health of the one they are looking after, often making it difficult for medical practitioners to spot symptoms.
Nonetheless, several severe cases, such as the story of Marybeth Tinning, are clear indicators of the syndrome. In Upstate New York, between 1967 and 1985, all of Tinning’s nine children died, most not living past the age of four. In the beginning, no one suspected that the cause of the lesions her children bared was her doing. The medical specialists would examine and send her and her children on their way, not finding any of the alleged symptoms.
She would then bring them each back, claiming they passed due to seizures, cardiac arrest, or simply turning blue. Rumors began to circulate that all her children passed due to bad genes. It was not until 14 years later police arrested her for the death of her last child Tami Lynne. She was charged with second-degree murder, convicted, and served 20 years in prison.
Information on Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is still in the blue and not concretely validated by the American Psychological Association. Yet, while invalid as an official mental disorder, its symptoms are just as prevalent as the name it takes after. Hopefully, studies and technology evolve in the medical field so that those afflicted can receive the professional help they deserve.
