Factitious disorder is a formal (DSM-IV) mental health diagnosis in which people deliberately exaggerate, fabricate, or induce physical or psychological health problems in themselves in order to get attention for themselves or gain some other form of internal gratification. Munchausen Syndrome is sometimes described as one sub-type of factitious disorder; others say it is another name for this disorder. Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (also addressed here) is a pattern of abusive behavior in which a caretaker deliberately exaggerates, fabricates, or induces physical and/or psychological health problems in another person. This pattern of behavior manifests as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, or a combination. The primary purpose of this behavior is to gain some form of internal gratification (such as attention) for the perpetrator.
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