title: Pseudologia fantastica: forensic and clinical treatment implications.
abstract: Pseudologia fantastica, also known as mythomania, or pathological lying, is a psychiatric phenomenon that is a mixture of fact and fiction involving fantasized events and self aggrandizing personal roles. It has been recognized in the field for over a century. In this case report we discuss three different cases, two of them presented in the acute inpatient setting and one outpatient setting. All three presented with the common theme of extensive and 'pathological lying' in a manner that was notably very destructive to them and posing significant challenges to the treatment team. In an attempt to shed light into some of the clinical and legal/forensic challenges it creates when faced in the clinical settings, we also raise the need for a better definition and classification of this symptom in the DSM.
authors.affiliation: Residency Training, Department of Psychiatry, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY 10456; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461. Electronic address: Korenismd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korenis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461; Inpatient Psychiatry, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY 10456.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: Bashkim
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kadriu
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tyagi
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: Azuka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Udolisa
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D008192:Deception; D003702:Delusions; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005201:Fantasy; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055815:Young Adult