Healing the Wounds: The Importance of Treatment for Victims of Munchausen By Proxy

Lacey Spears is the latest in a history of high-profile cases of Munchausen By Proxy, otherwise known as factitious disorder imposed on another. Like those who suffer from Munchausen, Munchausen By Proxy (MBP) drives people to invent or produce physical ailments for the purpose of garnering attention, sympathy, care, and love. However, people with MBP don’t frame themselves as the patient; they make someone else, usually a child, the target of illness. The result is often serious physical and psychological suffering as the victim undergoes unnecessary medical testing, invasive procedures, and injuries at the hands of their caretaker. In severe cases, like that of Garnett Spears, victims even lose their lives, although this is contrary to the aims of the MBP sufferer. As psychiatrist Herbert A. Schreier says, “The purpose is not to kill the child but to keep her sick, so that the mother can be in a relationship with the doctor, who would recognize her devotion, knowledge, and sacrifice.” While many struggle to make sense of Lacey’s actions, for some, the story is all too familiar, as they too have been victims of a parent with MBP.

While MBP may lead to shocking headlines and widespread vilification of those who suffer from the disorder, what usually goes unmentioned is the psychological impact of this form of abuse on the victims, who often suffer profound emotional effects both while it is happening and for years after. A special report in Psychiatric Times notes that:

Victims of MBP may suffer from fear, pain, and loss of normal attachment, and from delayed development, growth, social functioning, and/or academic progression. They may develop physical and psychiatric problems due to being persistently regarded as ill; from deprivation; from unneeded assessments, medications, procedures, or surgeries; and/or from iatrogenic complications.

In response to the abuse you suffered, you may have developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, anxiety, problems differentiating between fantasy and reality, and a deeply distorted relationship with your body. You may not trust your physical symptoms and be unable to tell if your bodily experiences are real or imaginary. You may also be reluctant to seek out medical attention, even in cases of acute illness, for fear of being emotionally triggered or re-experiencing abuse at the hands of the medical establishment, potentially resulting in serious physical damage. Without the foundation of a healthy, nurturing formative bond, you may have difficulties establishing a sense of safety with others and creating boundaries, as well as regarding yourself in a realistic, positive way. Many MBP victims also bear the burden of blame for not only their own abuse, but that of their siblings, feeling they did not do enough to stop it, producing deep feelings of shame and prolonging suffering long after the immediate abuse has ended. These effects can significantly impair your ability to form trusting bonds with others, maintain emotional stability, and live a full and healthy life.

In some cases, victimhood extends beyond childhood, and the power of the abuser is so absolute that they convince their victim to collaborate in their deception. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic discovered three MBP cases in which adult “victims appeared to be willing participants by giving false history information or helping to induce real symptoms.” Dr. George Deimel of the Mayo Clinic described the phenomenon as a type of Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological phenomenon in which victims empathize with, defend, and work with their abusers. It is critical to understand that even in cases of victim collaboration, the abuse is never your fault; your caretaker with MBP groomed you to participate, and that grooming is part of the abuse itself.