Factitious disorder
You may be reading about a term used in a care discussion, or trying to understand a difficult situation. This page explains the professional context without asking you to prove, disprove or assign a diagnosis.
A clinical term involving identified deception.
Factitious disorder imposed on self involves deliberately falsifying or inducing illness with identified deception, without an obvious external reward. It is distinct from symptoms that are genuinely experienced and have not yet been explained.
This is a professional diagnosis. Reading a description cannot tell you someone's intention or establish the term from one interaction.
Based on MSD Manual Professional
Keep the conversation with the professionals involved.
- The explanation
Ask what the clinical term means
- The assessment
Ask what evidence and alternatives were considered
- Health & safety
Ask how actual needs and harm are addressed
- Continuity of care
Ask who coordinates the next steps
Illness imposed on another person.
Factitious disorder imposed on another involves identified deception through falsifying or inducing illness in someone else. The diagnosis applies to the person carrying out that behaviour, not the person harmed. A genuine medical condition can also be present.
UK child-safeguarding guidance uses the broader term fabricated or induced illness and distinguishes perplexing presentations. These do not automatically establish the psychiatric diagnosis: professionals must assess the child's actual health and potential harm.
If you are concerned about a child's safety, contact the relevant local children's safeguarding service or healthcare professional; immediate danger needs emergency help. For a dependent adult, use the local adult-safeguarding route. Share concrete concerns with professionals without using a checklist to accuse a carer or attempting your own investigation.
The psychiatric diagnosis concerns the person causing the deception, not the person harmed. Safeguarding concerns should be handled through qualified local health or protection services, without waiting for a psychiatric diagnosis. RCPCH’s wider fabricated-or-induced-illness terminology is not automatically the same diagnosis; local professional assessment determines the appropriate response.
Based on MSD Manual Professional · Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Questions to ask about a care discussion.
These are conversation prompts, not signs for detecting the disorder in yourself, a partner or a carer.
Meaning of the term
What does the term mean in this particular assessment?
Assessment context
What evidence supports it, and what alternatives were considered?
Health & safety
How are physical health and immediate safety being addressed?
Care coordination
Who coordinates the care and the next conversation?
Based on MSD Manual Professional
Assessment belongs with the professionals involved.
Clinical assessment considers evidence of deception, medical explanations and other mental-health conditions. Symptom burden, health anxiety, frequent appointments or differences between accounts are not an online diagnostic method.
If this term has been used about you, ask for a clear explanation and the care plan. This page offers no accusation checklist, deception score or questionnaire about another person.
Based on MSD Manual Professional
- 1What is being explained?
Ask what the term means in your assessment.
- 2How will care continue?
Ask who coordinates medical and psychological support.
- 3Who addresses safety?
Ask which professional or safeguarding team handles the concern.
Uncertainty about symptoms is not evidence of deception.
Factitious disorder involves identified deception around falsified or induced illness. Inconsistent accounts, an unresolved diagnosis or frequent health care alone cannot establish it.
Assessment is a professional task. Do not use this information as a detective checklist or to withhold appropriate medical care. Real medical conditions can coexist.
Based on MSD Manuals · MSD Manuals
Care focuses on engagement, safety and reducing harm.
You and your clinician can discuss what fits your needs, preferences and health.
Based on MSD Manual Professional
Bring concrete health or safety concerns to the appropriate professionals.
If you are concerned about yourself, ask a qualified clinician about respectful assessment and support. Treatment evidence is limited and the care relationship matters.
If someone else may be harmed, seek medical or safeguarding advice rather than trying to prove a diagnosis or confront the person yourself. Immediate danger requires emergency help.
Based on MSD Manuals · MSD Manuals · Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
You deserve to understand your care.
Unexplained symptoms, inconsistent accounts or frequent healthcare contact do not establish this diagnosis.
What an assessment can involve
A little clarity. A place to start.
Explore a tool, prepare a conversation or find someone to talk to. Choose what feels useful to you.
No self-test for this topic is currently offered on Selfmora. You can use the free guides below to prepare a conversation or find support.
Prepare for a conversation
A few prompts to help you explain what you have noticed and what you would like help with.
- A simple notes builder
- Copy your notes to keep
- No account needed
You decide how much to write and share.
Find your wordsFind your next kind of support
Explore where to begin with everyday support, professional help or an urgent conversation.
- Ways to ask for help
- Country-specific crisis contacts
- Support at your own pace
If you need urgent help, go straight to support.
Find supportYour first sentence does not need to be perfect.
For your own care, ask what has been assessed and what support is proposed. If your concern is someone else's immediate safety, contact the appropriate emergency or safeguarding service rather than trying to settle a diagnosis online.
Based on MSD Manual Professional · Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
“I want to understand what this term means in the assessment and how my health and care will be addressed.”Make it sound like you
Your questions, with room for nuance.
You can read just the answer you need.
Can unexplained symptoms be used to accuse someone of this disorder?
No. Unexplained symptoms do not establish deception. Medical and safeguarding concerns require appropriate professional assessment.
Based on MSD Manuals · MSD Manuals · Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Where this information comes from.
Use this hub to learn and prepare questions. It does not diagnose you or recommend a personal treatment plan. By Selfmora editorial; sources checked . Updated .
Additional explanations and examples: sources consulted . Examples illustrate ideas; they do not assess your personal health. Your questions
- Factitious disorder imposed on self
- Factitious disorder imposed on another
- Perplexing presentations and fabricated or induced illness: safeguarding guidance