1996 – Facticious Disorder With Hallucinations - a Case Report

Abstract

Introduction

Factitious disorder (FD) is defined by the intentional production or feigning of physical or psychological symptoms with the objective of assuming the patient role. It's frequently difficult to adequately diagnose this disorder when the faked symptoms are those of a psychological or a psychiatric disorder. In these cases, there is often high comorbidity with other mental disorders, thus making it difficult to differentiate between real and factitious symptoms.

Objectives

To present a case-report of FD with hallucinations and a review study regarding the theme available in Medline.

Aim

Brief literature review.

Method

A case report is presented and literature of this theme shortly reviewed.

Results

The case involves a 23-year-old female, a psychology student, born in destructured family. She had attempted suicide many times since she was 16 years old, one of them with high lethality. One month before her admission to our inpatient clinic in order to allow a clear diagnosis to be made, she began active auditory hallucinations, persecutory delusional ideation with disorganized behavior and consequent social isolation. A suitable dose of atypical antipsychotic drug was administered but Psychotic disorder was ruled out and she was dignosed with FD. After the factitious symptoms that prevented any type of therapeutic approach disappeared, the real symptoms of the patient were those characteristic of a borderline personality disorder.

Conclusions

This case emphasizes the need for the careful observation of these patients in order to establish the diagnosis and to improve a specific management strategy for them.