On March 20, Hulu premieres its original anthology series The Act , the first season of which plays out the true story of Dee Dee Blanchard, who convinced her daughter Gypsy Rose Blanchard that the girl suffered from several illnesses and conditions, including cancer.

When the Blanchard case was first reported , it captured national attention for a seemingly endless number of reasons (one being that the case ended in Dee Dee Blanchards murder, arranged by her daughter, who is now serving time).

That was a spectacularly rare case, said Marc Feldman, a psychiatrist who specializes in factitious disorders and the author of Dying to Be Ill .

Factitious disorder is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, and there are several types. The most commonly known one is factitious disorder imposed on self, or Munchausen syndrome, in which an individual purposely misleads others into thinking he or she has a serious physical or mental illness. Theres also factitious disorder imposed on another, or Munchausen by proxy, in which a person often a parent or caregiver fabricates an illness in another. In The Act, Dee Dee Blanchard is believed to have Munchausen by proxy because she convinced others that her daughter was seriously ill.

The Blanchard case is not the only time someone felt compelled to fabricate an illness. There are several psychological factors that could contribute to someone faking a condition as serious as cancer.

The Mental Health Disorder Thats Based On Lies