Тrеnd of madness: youth simulate psychosis to get a bed in a “mental hospital”

Doctors emphasize that such simulation of symptoms can cause irreversible mental health issues and complicate the patient’s future. The Rosenhan experiment as a warning: psychiatrist Vasily Shurov compared the trend to the famous Rosenhan experiment of the 1970s, where healthy volunteers who pretended to have hallucinations were admitted to clinics and spent months unable to prove their sanity. “Some stayed there for a very long time, even after admitting they were healthy. So this is an extremely dangerous activity,” said Vasily Shurov in a conversation with Tsargrad.

Diagnoses are often made based on conversation, and deliberate imitation of severe symptoms can lead to unnecessary treatment with unpredictable risks. “Plus, it’s unethical to occupy a bed that might be needed by a patient who truly requires help,” added Vasily Shurov.

Doctors’ reaction and risks for teenagers: medical professionals unanimously condemn “durking”, especially among teenagers, when many disorders are just beginning to manifest and clinics are already overcrowded with patients with real problems, including drug addiction. Anyone can get inside with complaints, but getting out may turn out to be much harder, writes Tsargrad.