Factitious disorder is a mental illness characterized by the deliberate presentation of false symptoms or self-harm in order to receive medical attention and sympathy. There are several synonyms for factitious disorder, including Munchausen syndrome, Munchausen syndrome by proxy, and hospital addiction syndrome. Munchausen syndrome is named after a fictional character who claimed to have performed absurd and dangerous feats in order to gain attention. Munchausen syndrome by proxy refers to a disorder in which an individual fakes symptoms or illnesses for someone else, usually a child, under their care. Hospital addiction syndrome is a term used to refer to individuals who become addicted to the attention and medical treatment they receive in hospitals.