People who silently suffer with Munchausen Syndrome have been known to cause physical disease by injecting harmful bacteria directly into their veins so that they must go to the hospital, for example.

Munchausen Syndrome is the most severe and chronic form of Factitious Disorder, a type of self-harm in which people secretly make themselves sick or injured to gain sympathy and medical attention. Most of these patients receive extensive lab tests and in many cases unnecessary surgery.

Unfortunately, Munchausen Syndrome is extremely hard to recognize, and just as hard to treat. Medical literature on Munchausen Syndrome is sparse.