Factitious disorders are conditions in which a person deliberately and consciously acts as if they have a physical or mental illness when they ...MedicalReferenceFeaturesSlideshows&ImagesNewsArchiveAnxiety&PanicDisordersBipolarDisorderDepressionEatingDisordersSchizophreniaSubstanceAbuse&AddictionNews&FeaturesReferenceQuizzesSlideshowsVideosQuestions&AnswersFindaPsychiatristADHDCrisisAssistanceHealth&BalanceLivingHealthyMilitaryFamiliesSupportPersonalityDisordersPTSDStressManagementMoreRelatedTopicsMentalHealthReferenceInthisArticleTypesofFactitiousDisordersWhatAretheSymptomsofFactitiousDisorders?WhatCausesFactitiousDisorders?HowCommonAreFactitiousDisorders?HowAreFactitiousDisordersDiagnosed?HowAreFactitiousDisordersTreated?WhatIstheOutlookforPeopleWithFactitiousDisorders?CanFactitiousDisordersBePrevented?Factitiousdisordersareconditionsinwhichapersondeliberatelyandconsciouslyactsasiftheyhave aphysicalormentalillnesswhentheyarenotreallysick.Factitiousdisorderbyproxyiswhenapersonactsasifapersonintheircarehasanillnesswhentheydonot.Peoplewithfactitiousdisordersdeliberatelycreateorexaggeratesymptomsofanillnessinseveralways.Theymaylieaboutorfakesymptoms,hurtthemselvestobringonsymptoms,oraltertests(suchascontaminatingaurinesample)tomakeitlookliketheyorthepersonintheircarearesick.Peoplewithfactitiousdisordersbehavethiswaybecauseofaninnerneedtobeseenasillorinjured,nottoachieveaclearbenefit,suchasfinancialgain.Peoplewithfactitiousdisordersareevenwillingandsometimeseagertoundergopainfulorriskytestsandoperationsinordertoobtainthesympathyandspecialattentiongiventopeoplewhoaretrulyillorhavealovedonewhoisill.Factitiousdisordersareconsideredmentalillnessesbecausetheyareassociatedwithsevereemotionaldifficulties.ContinuedManypeoplewithfactitiousdisordersalsosufferfromothermentalconditions,particularlypersonalitydisorders.Peoplewithpersonalitydisordershavelong-standingpatternsofthinkingandactingthatdifferfromwhatsocietyconsidersusualornormal.Thesepeoplegenerallyalsohavepoorcopingskill