The Munchausen mystery

It’s the stuff mysteries are made of.

Medical mysteries, that is.

Though its incidence is rare, one local doctor said the diagnosis is very real – and can be quite scary.

It’s called Munchausen syndrome, though those in the medical field call it a factitious disorder.

Call it what you will, the complex psychological disorder is so complicated, even experienced medical personnel may have trouble with its diagnosis, which is why there are no hard-and-fast statistics concerning the number of people who have been diagnosed with the ailment.

Dr. David Josephs, clinical director of Baptist Hospital’s Lakeview Center, said typically the disease is far more insidious than it seems.

For more on this story, check out the Sept. 23 edition of the Navarre Press, or subscribe online.