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Related Experiment Videos

Fictitious twins, factitious illness

E Rothchild1

  • 1Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH.

Psychiatry
|November 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Patients with factitious illnesses sometimes feign the loss of a twin. This fictional bereavement may help stabilize their sense of self and gain attention.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Factitious illness involves the intentional production or feigning of physical or psychological signs and symptoms.
  • Factitious bereavement is a rare presentation where individuals fabricate or exaggerate grief.

Observation:

  • Five patients presenting with factitious illnesses also reported feigning or fantasizing the loss of a twin.
  • This unusual symptom presentation was explored in relation to factitious disorders and twin fantasies.

Findings:

  • The patients' fictional twin bereavement appeared to serve the purpose of stabilizing a fragile sense of self.
  • Sympathetic support from others was a key element sought through the fabricated twin loss narrative.

Implications:

  • This presentation suggests that fantasized twin loss may have significant dynamic implications in certain psychiatric conditions.
  • Clinicians should investigate such claims, seeking corroboration and offering support for healthier coping mechanisms if the narrative is found to be false.

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