There are three basic standpoints that physicians and other healthcare providers adopt concerning Morgellons (also known as Morgellon's Disease or Morgellon's Syndrome). Each is different, but has many valid points. These three standpoints are the most common, however, and do not represent the absolute views of any or all doctors and healthcare providers. There may be other views recognized by doctors, and, if you believe you have fallen victim to Morgellons, you should consult your doctor immediately to find out his/her individual standpoint.
Standpoint 1: The Little Green Men of Morgellons
This standpoint is the most common of all positions taken by physicians and other healthcare providers, as well as the opinion of a large percentage of the population. This theory hypothesizes that Morgellons patients are actually suffering from a particular illness, psychotic or bodily, or combination of illnesses. They say that there is no such thing as Morgellons and that many of the symptoms patients experience are delusional or fictitious. They also purport that parents of self-diagnosed (or parentally-diagnosed) Morgellons children suffer from Munchausens (in which people feign illness in themselves, their spouses, and/or their children simply in hopes of receiving medical attention) syndrome.
Standpoint 1 is limited in that it cannot explain all of the symptoms that any given patient may experience, and therefore cannot offer localized treatment for these problematic areas. Morgellons patients who visit a doctor who believed that Morgellons is psychotic delusion at best should be willing to seek a second opinion if necessary, and a third, fourth, et cetera if the need arises. Patients of those with this opinion still deserve fair treatment, and, if treatment options are not working, doctors should be willing to admit that Morgellons is a possibility.
Standpoint 2: The Morgellon-Agnostic Doctor
This standpoint is generally not accepted by reputable doctors simply because it is not a standpoint, per se. Doctors who subscribe to standpoint 2 are admitting that they have no idea whether Morgellons is real or delusional, and that they therefore do not know how to treat the patient presented before them. This standpoint states that Morgellons may or may not exist, and that only research can tell for sure. These doctors have actually not made up their mind either way about Morgellons, and many fall into standpoint 1 or 3 at different times.
Standpoint 2 is limited severely because it neither explains nor disproves the existence or Morgellons symptoms. These patients will see little or no treatment options, because their primary physician does not actually understand the symptoms he/she is treating. They do not recognize Morgellons as a disease, but are not actually willing to say that it is not a disease. This is the easiest way out of any confrontation with other doctors, media, or patients. To simply say "maybe" may seem easy, but these doctors may notice a lack of respect with other doctors and/or patients.
Standpoint 3: To Tell the Morgellons Truth
This standpoint is the least popular of all standpoints. It states that Morgellons is an actual body and mind-affecting disease that should be treated and requires a cure. Many doctors refuse to subscribe to this viewpoint until, at the least, more research is done about Morgellons. While they may not say that Morgellons is not real, they will not relent to admit that it may well be an actual disease. However, that is not to say that absolutely no doctors believe this standpoint is true. There are in fact a dozen or so physicians that are willing to recognize and treat Morgellons as a disease in patients presenting with Morgellons symptoms.
Standpoint 3 is limited somewhat in that it is impossible to say how many doctors and/or healthcare professionals actually believe that Morgellons is anything but a delusional problem. Doctors willing to treat Morgellons patients are often labeled as "quacks" or "mad scientists" due to the lack of evidence supporting Morgellons as a disease. Until the CDC (Center for Disease Control) releases the findings from their newest foray into the world of Morgellons sufferers, this standpoint will continue to be the least popular of all three standpoints by a long shot.