Patients with Somatic Complaints and Pain

Question 1

What is the difference between malingering and factitious disorder (aka Munchasen’s syndrome)?

Answer 1

Malingering is for a secondary gain (such as a homeless person faking symptoms to get admitted during cold weather) and factitious disorder is when someone fakes symptoms but the aims aren’t clear (such as just liking to be a patient) – also called Munchausen syndrome.

Question 2

What is the basic framework of psychological/somatic pain that we’re supposed to know for this lecture?

Answer 2

Somatic pain can precipitate or worsen psychological distress (such as anxiety or depression).

Psychological distress can make somatic pain seem worse.

Psychological distress can manifest as somatic complaints.

Question 3

Describe the differences between somatic pain disorder, conversion disorder, and factitious disorder.

Answer 3

Somatic pain: persistent pain with disproportionate thoughts/feelings affected.

Conversion disorder: psychological stress triggering physical symptoms (often neurologic).

Factitious disorder: someone deliberately making themselves sick – administering inappropriate insulin.