Ganser Syndrome

[Guest guest]

No way any one could diagnose this in the field. I would still say

that his Darvone would be reacting with his psyche medications.

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http://www.webmd.com/content/article/60/67153.htm

Ganser Syndrome

Ganser syndrome is a type of factitious disorder, a mental illness in

which a person acts as if he or she has a physical or mental illness

when he or she is not really sick. People with Ganser syndrome mimic

behavior that is typical of a mental illness, such as schizophrenia.

Ganser syndrome is sometimes called " prison psychosis " because it was

first observed in prisoners.

People with factitious disorders act this way because of an inner need

to be seen as ill or injured, not to achieve a clear benefit, such as

financial gain. They are even willing to undergo painful or risky

tests and operations in order to obtain the sympathy and special

attention given to people who are truly ill. Factitious disorders are

considered mental illnesses because they are associated with severe

emotional difficulties.

What Are the Symptoms of Ganser Syndrome?

People with Ganser syndrome have short-term episodes of odd behavior

similar to that shown by people with serious mental illnesses. The

person may appear confused, make absurd statements and report

hallucinations such as the experience of sensing things that are not

there or hearing voices. A classic symptom of Ganser syndrome is

vorbeireden. This is when the person gives nonsense answers to simple

questions. In addition, a person with this condition may report

physical problems such as an inability to move part of the body,

called " hysterical paralysis. " Loss of memory (amnesia) for the events

that occurred during an episode is common.

What Causes Ganser Syndrome?

Little is known about this unusual disorder, but it is believed to be

a reaction to extreme stress. Another factor that may contribute to

Ganser syndrome is a desire to avoid responsibility or an unpleasant

situation. There are also physical problems that may cause the

symptoms of Ganser syndrome. These include alcoholism, head injury and

stroke.

Most people with this disorder also have a personality disorder,

usually antisocial personality disorder or histrionic personality

disorder. Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by

irresponsible and aggressive behavior that often involves a disregard

for others and an inability to abide by society's rules. People with

antisocial personality disorder are sometimes referred to as

" sociopaths " or " psychopaths. " For people with histrionic personality

disorder, their self-esteem depends on the approval of others and does

not arise from a true feeling of self-worth. They have an overwhelming

desire to be noticed, and often behave dramatically or inappropriately

to get attention.

How Common Is Ganser Syndrome?

Ganser syndrome is very rare. It is more common in men than in women

and most often occurs in the late teens and early adult years.

How Is Ganser Syndrome Diagnosed?

Diagnosing Ganser syndrome is very challenging, not only because some

measure of dishonesty is involved but also because it is very rare. In

addition, doctors must rule out any possible physical problems, such

as stroke or head injury, as the cause of the symptoms before

considering a diagnosis of Ganser syndrome.

If the doctor finds no physical reason for the symptoms, he or she may

refer the person to a psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health

professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental

illnesses. Psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed

interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for a factitious

disorder. The doctor bases his or her diagnosis on the exclusion of

actual physical or mental illness and his or her observation of the

patient's attitude and behavior.

How Is Ganser Syndrome Treated?

The first goal of treatment is to be sure the person does not hurt

himself or herself, or others. The person may need to be hospitalized

if the symptoms are extreme and/or if the person could be dangerous.

In most cases, the symptoms of Ganser syndrome go away once the stress

that triggered the episode is settled.

Supportive psychotherapy (a type of counseling), and monitoring for

safety and a return of symptoms are the main treatments for Ganser

syndrome. Medication usually is not used, unless the person also

suffers from depression, anxiety or a personality disorder.

What Is the Outlook for People With Ganser Syndrome?

Recovery usually occurs within days, especially if the stress that

triggered the disorder is resolved.

Can Ganser Syndrome Be Prevented?

There is no known way to prevent this condition.

View the full table of contents for the Mental Health Guide

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of

Psychiatry and Psychology.

Medically reviewed by Haines, MD, WebMD, July 2005.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/24/2006 1:05:28 PM Central Standard Time,

paramedicbbt@... writes:

How does Munchausen's differ from this? Because they will actually hurt

themselves to become ill?

copying this back to the Paramed list as well..

Von Munchausen's Syndrome is more confabulation and 'self abuse' relating to

physical problems than the mental ones of Ganser's...

What is even more interesting is Munchausen's by proxy, where a care giver

will make a child or a feeble adult ill in order to get attention from

authority figures...

Several cases I know of included 4 and 5 year old kids with 'chronic

diarrhea'...there was dark staining of the colonic mucosa noted during

endoscopic

work up of the problem, a hall mark of Senna overuse. Some Video monitoring

later, there was enough evidence to detain the caregivers and search their

bags...where the laxatives were found.

ck

S. Krin, DO FAAFP

[Guest guest]

Thank You. That was very informative.

shah_emt wrote:

Danny L.

Owner/NREMT-P

PETSAR INC.

(Panhandle Emergency Training Services And Response)

Office

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