A case of factitious disorder presenting as alcohol dependence.
Factitious disorders involve the feigning of physical or psychological symptoms in order to assume the patient role. Pseudologia fantastica, which involves the pathological creation of fabrications about one's background, is an associated feature of factitious disorders. Substance abuse disorders are also associated with factitious disorders. However, the manifestation of factitious complaints as substance abuse has yet to be reported in the literature. This case study describes a patient referred to a residential substance abuse treatment program who was discovered to have factitious alcohol dependence and prominent pseudologia fantastica.
Mitchell
Damon
D
Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut 06050, USA. DMitchell@mar.med.navy.edu
Francis
Joseph P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005162:Factitious Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male