Conversion disorder

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history

Conversion disorder is an old name for a mental illness in which psychological conflicts or emotions are expressed unconsciously as bodily symptoms.[1][2] Conversion disorder is also know as Functional neurological symptom disorder or FND, and is regarded as a psychosomatic illness.[3] Conversation disorders have also been called psychogenic or functional illnesses.[3]

Effects[edit | edit source]

Symptoms diagnosed as conversion disorder may not be seen as a "real illness" in need of medical care, or as not a serious illness.[4][5][6]

Conversion disorder, and psychosomatic illnesses in general, may be overdiagnosed, especially in females.[3] Multiple sclerosis was previously regarded as a type of conversion disorder called hysterical paralysis and treated as a mental illness.[6]

ME/CFS[edit | edit source]

Some patients with ME/CFS or other physical illnesses are misdiagnosed with conversion disorder, which can result inappropriate treatment, and serious harm.[4][7]

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Ali, Shahid; Jabeen, Shagufta; Pate, Rebecca J.; Shahid, Marwah; Chinala, Sandhya; Nathani, Milankumar; Shah, Rida (2015). "Conversion Disorder— Mind versus Body: A Review". Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience. 12 (5–6): 27–33. ISSN 2158-8333. PMC 4479361. PMID 26155375.
  2. World Health Organization (2016). "Dissociative [Conversion] disorders - ICD-10 Version:2016". World Health Organization. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Bransfield, Robert C.; Friedman, Kenneth J. (October 8, 2019). "Differentiating Psychosomatic, Somatopsychic, Multisystem Illnesses and Medical Uncertainty". Healthcare. 7 (4): 114. doi:10.3390/healthcare7040114. ISSN 2227-9032. PMC 6955780. PMID 31597359.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "I made a film from my bed to show my illness is real". BBC News. November 9, 2017.
  5. Skyes, Richard (September 2002). "Letter to the British Journal of General Practice". The British Journal of General Practice. 52 (482): 762–763. PMC 1314419. PMID 12236282.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Hooper, Malcolm (June 21, 2002). "Letter to The British Journal of General Practice" (PDF).
  7. Goudsmit, Ellen (September 2002). "Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis". The British Journal of General Practice. 52 (482): 763–764. ISSN 0960-1643. PMC 1314421. PMID 12236284.