Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Fake Depression?Symptoms of Malingering DepressionWhat Causes Malingering Depression?How Is Malingering Depression Diagnosed?What to Do

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Fake Depression?

Symptoms of Malingering Depression

What Causes Malingering Depression?

How Is Malingering Depression Diagnosed?

What to Do

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Depression is a serious and common mental health condition that affects an estimated 8.3% of all adults in the U.S. and makes it difficult for people to function in their daily lives.Depression is not fake, but in some cases, people may fake or exaggerate symptoms to obtain rewards or to avoid undesirable outcomes.

At a GlanceWhile it may be surprising, some people fake symptoms of depression as a way to escape responsibilities, avoid punishment, or obtain rewards. Known as malingering depression, it may occur as part of another condition and can be difficult to detect.Many people with depression try to seem fine even though they are not. Don’t dismiss someone just because they don’t “seem depressed” to you. Instead, suggest they meet with a mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment.

At a Glance

While it may be surprising, some people fake symptoms of depression as a way to escape responsibilities, avoid punishment, or obtain rewards. Known as malingering depression, it may occur as part of another condition and can be difficult to detect.Many people with depression try to seem fine even though they are not. Don’t dismiss someone just because they don’t “seem depressed” to you. Instead, suggest they meet with a mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment.

While it may be surprising, some people fake symptoms of depression as a way to escape responsibilities, avoid punishment, or obtain rewards. Known as malingering depression, it may occur as part of another condition and can be difficult to detect.

Many people with depression try to seem fine even though they are not. Don’t dismiss someone just because they don’t “seem depressed” to you. Instead, suggest they meet with a mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Known as malingering, this phenomenon may involve fabricatingsymptoms of depression(or another mental health condition) in order to avoid work, military service, or jury duty or to obtain something such as prescription medications.

Malingering can be difficult to detect since many of the symptoms of depression are easy to emulate, particularly if a person is familiar with the condition.

Malingering is not considered a psychiatric condition. It does share some similarities with what is known asfactitious disorder. A factitious disorder involves faking symptoms of an illness without a clear motive or reward.

It is also important to distinguish malingering from somatic symptom disorder. This is a condition where people become distressed about symptoms that may be imagined or exaggerated.

While malingering is not considered a mental illness, the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) lists it as a condition that may be the focus of clinical attention.

Why Some Disorders Are Not in the DSM-5

Malingering does not have a specific set of symptoms, which is part of why it can be so difficult to detect. People may give inconsistent or overly intense descriptions of their symptoms to doctors.

The onset of symptoms usually occurs suddenly in the face of an undesirable event such as criminal or civil legal problems, jury duty, or military duty.

Unfortunately, malingering depression can lead to abuses of the medical system including excessive testing and faking symptoms in order to obtain prescription medications.

It is difficult to know how common it is for people to fake depression or other mental illnesses, although it is believed to happen more frequently in specific contexts, particularly in criminal and legal settings.

In one study looking at criminal defendants who were claiming mental illness, 18% were formally identified as malingering.

The available research suggests that malingering is rare in clinical settings, but much more common in legal and medical settings where there is a motivation for financial reward or the avoidance of punishment.

Thediagnosis of depressionrelies on a person’s own subjective descriptions of their symptoms and the professional judgment of a doctor or mental health professional. During an evaluation, a doctor will look at how a person is feeling and may also attempt to determine whether or not the individual is faking symptoms.

In general, there are two possible reasons why faking depression might take place:

Some clues that might suggest that an individual is faking symptoms of depression include recent legal problems or the possibility of some sort of financial settlement. Inconsistent symptoms, differing accounts from other sources, or a refusal to cooperate with the diagnostic process may also raise red flags.

Perhaps not surprisingly, malingering is often very difficult to detect. Doctors who suspect that a person is faking their symptoms might use an instrument such as the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomology (SIMS) to try to detect signs of malingering.

List of Psychological Disorders

Symptoms of Depression

It is important to recognize that many symptoms of depression are not easy to recognize. A person can seem fine or even happy on the surface, while privately experiencing serious symptoms of depression.

In many cases, the only way to know if someone is feeling depressed is if they tell you explicitly what they are feeling.

Even though depression can be difficult to detect, you may be able to see some of its signs.

People with depression may:

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

People who are experiencing these signs may very likely have depression. If someone you know has such symptoms or seems to be struggling, you can reach out and offer your support.

Leave Diagnosis to the ProfessionalsIt is up to a doctor or mental health professional to make an official diagnosis. Avoid making judgments about whether you think a person’s symptoms are real or serious enough; you may have no way of knowing what a person is going through.

Leave Diagnosis to the Professionals

It is up to a doctor or mental health professional to make an official diagnosis. Avoid making judgments about whether you think a person’s symptoms are real or serious enough; you may have no way of knowing what a person is going through.

However, it is important to remember that you are only seeing a single moment in time. What matters most in determining whether a person has depression—and whether the condition is too severe to attend work or other obligations—is what that person’s life is like overall.

Symptoms you can’t see can include having difficulty falling asleep the night before, struggling to find the motivation to get going, and difficulty concentrating on normal tasks.

While faking depression is certainly possible, remember that depression itself tends to be aninvisible illness.

Many of its symptoms are mental and emotional and its signs are not always obvious to the casual observer. People with depression often look completely normal on the outside because they become very good at pulling themselves together while out in public, putting on a false smile to hide the turmoil that they feel inside. Then, when they are all alone, they fall apart.

Stigmaabout mental illnesses such as depression still exists. The idea that people are faking or that their symptoms “aren’t that bad” plays a part in perpetuating this stigma.

While faking depression is possible, the vast majority of people with symptoms of depression are truly struggling with a difficult, stressful, and very real condition.

Rather than treating people with suspicion, focus on being a source of support. Encourage those who are showing signs of depression to seek out the treatment they need. Leave the diagnosis to the professionals and focus on being a supportive friend.

What This Means For YouFaking depression to gain rewards or avoid punishments is not a form of mental illness, but it may be linked to other disorders, such aspersonality disordersor substance misuse.Before it is determined that a person’s depression is a case of malingering, it is essential to rule out other possibilities, including an existing mental condition, a medical illness, or an underlying cause that might lead someone to exaggerate or make up symptoms.

What This Means For You

Faking depression to gain rewards or avoid punishments is not a form of mental illness, but it may be linked to other disorders, such aspersonality disordersor substance misuse.Before it is determined that a person’s depression is a case of malingering, it is essential to rule out other possibilities, including an existing mental condition, a medical illness, or an underlying cause that might lead someone to exaggerate or make up symptoms.

Faking depression to gain rewards or avoid punishments is not a form of mental illness, but it may be linked to other disorders, such aspersonality disordersor substance misuse.

Before it is determined that a person’s depression is a case of malingering, it is essential to rule out other possibilities, including an existing mental condition, a medical illness, or an underlying cause that might lead someone to exaggerate or make up symptoms.

How to Help Someone Who Is Depressed

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Major depression.Alozai Uu, McPherson PK.Malingering. StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Bass C, Halligan P.Factitious disorders and malingering: Challenges for clinical assessment and management.Lancet.2014;383(9926):1422-32. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62186-8Wisdom NM, Callahan JL.Diagnostic utility of the structured inventory of malingered symptomology to detect malingering in a forensic sample.Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 2010;25(2):118-125. doi:10.1093/arclin/acp110Marasa LH.Malingering: a result of trauma or litigation?.Am J Psych. 2018;13(3):7-9. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2018.130304Cochrane RE, Grisso T, Frederick RI.The relationship between criminal charges, diagnosis, and psycholegal opinions among federal pretrial defendants.Behav Sci Law. 2001;19(4):565-82. doi:10.1002/bsl.454National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Rössler W.The stigma of mental disorders: a millennia-long history of social exclusion and prejudices.EMBO Rep. 2016;17(9):1250-1253. doi:10.15252/embr.201643041

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Major depression.Alozai Uu, McPherson PK.Malingering. StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Bass C, Halligan P.Factitious disorders and malingering: Challenges for clinical assessment and management.Lancet.2014;383(9926):1422-32. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62186-8Wisdom NM, Callahan JL.Diagnostic utility of the structured inventory of malingered symptomology to detect malingering in a forensic sample.Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 2010;25(2):118-125. doi:10.1093/arclin/acp110Marasa LH.Malingering: a result of trauma or litigation?.Am J Psych. 2018;13(3):7-9. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2018.130304Cochrane RE, Grisso T, Frederick RI.The relationship between criminal charges, diagnosis, and psycholegal opinions among federal pretrial defendants.Behav Sci Law. 2001;19(4):565-82. doi:10.1002/bsl.454National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Rössler W.The stigma of mental disorders: a millennia-long history of social exclusion and prejudices.EMBO Rep. 2016;17(9):1250-1253. doi:10.15252/embr.201643041

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Mental Health.Major depression.Alozai Uu, McPherson PK.Malingering. StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Bass C, Halligan P.Factitious disorders and malingering: Challenges for clinical assessment and management.Lancet.2014;383(9926):1422-32. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62186-8Wisdom NM, Callahan JL.Diagnostic utility of the structured inventory of malingered symptomology to detect malingering in a forensic sample.Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 2010;25(2):118-125. doi:10.1093/arclin/acp110Marasa LH.Malingering: a result of trauma or litigation?.Am J Psych. 2018;13(3):7-9. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2018.130304Cochrane RE, Grisso T, Frederick RI.The relationship between criminal charges, diagnosis, and psycholegal opinions among federal pretrial defendants.Behav Sci Law. 2001;19(4):565-82. doi:10.1002/bsl.454National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Rössler W.The stigma of mental disorders: a millennia-long history of social exclusion and prejudices.EMBO Rep. 2016;17(9):1250-1253. doi:10.15252/embr.201643041

National Institute of Mental Health.Major depression.

Alozai Uu, McPherson PK.Malingering. StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Bass C, Halligan P.Factitious disorders and malingering: Challenges for clinical assessment and management.Lancet.2014;383(9926):1422-32. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62186-8

Wisdom NM, Callahan JL.Diagnostic utility of the structured inventory of malingered symptomology to detect malingering in a forensic sample.Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 2010;25(2):118-125. doi:10.1093/arclin/acp110

Marasa LH.Malingering: a result of trauma or litigation?.Am J Psych. 2018;13(3):7-9. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2018.130304

Cochrane RE, Grisso T, Frederick RI.The relationship between criminal charges, diagnosis, and psycholegal opinions among federal pretrial defendants.Behav Sci Law. 2001;19(4):565-82. doi:10.1002/bsl.454

National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.

Rössler W.The stigma of mental disorders: a millennia-long history of social exclusion and prejudices.EMBO Rep. 2016;17(9):1250-1253. doi:10.15252/embr.201643041

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