Diseases

Ganser Syndrome

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Ganser syndrome is a type of factitious disorder, a mental illness in which a person deliberately and consciously acts as if he or she has a physical or mental illness when he or she is not really sick. People with ganser syndrome mimic behavior that is typical of a mental illness, such as schizophrenia.

SYMPTOMS

The syndrome can sometimes be diagnosed as merely malingering, but it is more often defined as dissociative disorder. Symptoms include a clouding of consciousness, somatic conversion symptoms, confusion, stress, loss of personal identity, echolalia, and echopraxia.

CAUSES

Little is known about this unusual disorder, but it is believed to be a reaction to extreme stress. Another factor that may contribute to ganser syndrome is a desire to avoid responsibility or an unpleasant situation. There are also physical problems that may cause the symptoms of ganser syndrome.