What did Gypsy Rose suffer from?

Experts say that Gypsy Rose was the victim of a condition previously known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy—now referred to as factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA)—a mental health disorder where a caregiver makes up or causes an illness or injury to a person under their care for attention and sympathy.

prevention.com - Munchausen By Proxy In the Gypsy Rose Blanchard Case, Explained

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The Act just premiered on Hulu; the show follows the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who is serving a 1o-year sentence for murdering her abusive mother Dee Dee. Dee Dee had a condition previously known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy—now referred to as factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA)—a mental health condition where a person (often a parent) makes up or causes an illness or injury to the person they are caring for. Here’s how to spot the signs of Munchausen syndrome by proxy and how the abuse impacts the victim. Hulu just released a disturbing new crime show called The Act that’s based on true events. It follows the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard (played by Joey King), a woman whose mother Dee Dee Blanchard (played by Patricia Arquette) physically, mentally, and emotionally abused her to make her seem ill—and actually even made her sick at times. Experts say that Gypsy Rose was the victim of a condition previously known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy—now referred to as factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA)—a mental health disorder where a caregiver makes up or causes an illness or injury to a person under their care for attention and sympathy. Dee Dee was eventually murdered, and Gypsy Rose pleaded guilty to her mother’s killing. Here’s what you should know about their story and how Hulu’s portrayal sheds light on the heartbreaking consequences of this rare, but very real, form of child abuse.

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Who are Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard?

Gypsy Rose seemed to suffer from a range of illnesses, spent her life in a wheelchair, was in and out of hospitals, and took many medications, according to an investigative piece on the family published by Buzzfeed News, which caused their story to go viral. But in reality, Gypsy Rose was totally healthy. Her mother Dee Dee apparently spent years abusing her. The two moved to Springfield, Missouri, in 2005, and Dee Dee told doctors at the time that Gypsy Rose’s medical records had been lost in Hurricane Katrina. The family reportedly received large donations from charities and were even gifted a house that they lived in. Dee Dee claimed that Gypsy Rose suffered from several conditions, including epilepsy, leukemia, muscular dystrophy, sleep apnea, retardation, and chromosome and digestive disorders. By the time she was six, it was determined that she was paralyzed from the waist down, and she had a feeding tube implanted. Dee Dee also forced Gypsy Rose to shave her head to make it look like she went through chemotherapy and gave her medications that made her lose her teeth, among other things.

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In an interview with ABC’s 20/20, Gypsy Rose said that her mother once beat her with a coat hanger, and abused her even more after she tried to run away. “She physically chained me to the bed, and put bells on the doors, and told anybody that I probably would have trusted that I was going through a phase, and to tell her if I was doing anything behind her back,” Gypsy Rose told 20/20. Dee Dee, 48, was found dead in a pool of blood in the family’s home in 2015. Gypsy Rose was convicted of second-degree murder—along with her boyfriend Nick Godejohn, who was convicted of first-degree murder—and is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence.

What is Munchausen syndrome by proxy?

Dee Dee Blanchard exhibited clear signs of what was previously known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy—now referred to as factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA)—a mental illness in which a person has an inner need for someone under their care to seem ill or injured, even though they aren’t, says licensed clinical psychologist John Mayer, PhD, author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life. “Victims can be of any age, but the most typical are children and the aged,” he says. People with the condition, most often women, usually cause a physical illness to be inflicted on the victim, but Mayer says he’s seen cases where a parent or caregiver causes psychological pain or harm to a child or claims that they have a mental illness when they don’t. “I have seen this many times,” he adds. The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children recognizes FDIA as a form of child abuse and estimates suggest that roughly 1,000 out of the 2.5 million child abuse cases reported each year are connected to FDIA, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In general, the perpetrator of Munchausen by proxy wants attention, purpose, or self-esteem, but “there can be very tangible gains” for them, including gaining property from the victim and money, Mayer says.

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What are the symptoms of Munchausen syndrome by proxy?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, people with FDIA often exhibit the following characteristics: They are often a parent, the adult child of an older patient, the spouse/caretaker of a disabled adult, or sometimes even a health care professional

They are excessively cooperative with doctors, nurses, and other health care providers

They often appear overly concerned with the person they are caring for

The following warning signs signal that a child could be a victim of FDIA:

They have a history of many hospitalizations with strange symptoms

Their symptoms are reported to be worsening, even though it is not witnessed by health care providers Their symptoms improve when the child is in the hospital, but get worse when the child returns home

The child’s conditions and symptoms do not align with hospital tests

The child's blood, stool, or urine show signs of chemicals

How is a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy impacted by this form of abuse?

“Real physical harm can be caused on the victim and there are reports of horrible abuse that have been inflicted,” Mayer says, listing feces rubbed on wounds to infect them, cutting a child to cause a wound, injecting the victims with foreign substances, and poisoning them. This type of behavior can result in long-term physical and psychological consequences or even death, according to a 2010 paper from the University of Dayton. “Children who are victims of MSBP often exhibit psychological and educational issues that may be observed in the school setting. Victims of MSBP have been described as “dependent, immature, prone to symptoms of separation anxiety, and more likely to passively tolerate medical procedures,” the paper states. Gypsy Rose is still serving her 10-year prison sentence for the murder of her mother. The first two episodes of The Act are currently streaming on Hulu, with new episodes airing weekly every Wednesday.

prevention.com - Munchausen By Proxy In the Gypsy Rose Blanchard Case, Explained

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