My Support Forums - View Single Post - Factitious Disorder --in Therapy?

ultramar · Sep 07, 2013 at 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stopdog

This would seem to be extremely unethical to me. Well it would be a whole list of other things too (paternalistic and dishonest, to name a couple), but unethical would be my starting place. What would ever give a therapist the right to treat problems if the client did not consent to be treated for those problems. Not to mention if it is not a problem for the client, then what give the therapist a right to label it as such and treat it unbeknownst to the client? A horrible horrible situation in my opinion.

"Unbeknownst" was a poor choice of words. But I don't think there would be an easy/clear solution. The therapist could be upfront, 'honest' and confront the patient, but that would be telling the client that they don't believe them; isn't there a good chance they wouldn't be ready/prepared for that? And/or it wouldn't it come off as horrendous in so many ways? Or simply ignore it. But if a therapist felt that, in ignoring it, they would not be able to properly help/treat this person, then should they refer them on? There are other options. I suppose it would depend on both patient and therapist, their relationship, and other factors.