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Malingering: a dangerous diagnosis

N Parker

    The Medical Journal of Australia
    |June 16, 1979
    PubMed

    Insights

    Patients with unexplained physical complaints may have severe mental illness, not malingering. Misdiagnosis can lead to tragic outcomes for both patients and medical professionals.

    Area of Science:

    • Psychiatry
    • Orthopaedic Surgery
    • Forensic Medicine

    Background:

    • Medical professionals may misinterpret somatoform disorders as malingering.
    • Unresolved patient complaints can escalate to severe psychological distress and violence.

    Observation:

    • A case study details a patient with a non-organic back injury who murdered two of three orthopaedic surgeons.
    • A second instance involved an accident litigant who nearly attacked a surgeon.

    Findings:

    • Severe mental illness can present as physical symptoms, mimicking malingering.
    • Emotional disturbance after injury extends beyond compensation-seeking behavior.

    Implications:

    • Clinicians must carefully assess patients with persistent, unexplained physical symptoms.
    • Failure to recognize severe mental illness poses risks to healthcare providers.

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