Conversion Disorder

Definition

Conversion disorder causes its patients to show psychological stress in physical ways, such as numbness, paralysis, blindness or fits.

Diagnostic Criteria

• One or more symptoms or deficits that alters voluntary motor or sensory function that may signal neurological or other medical condition

• The symptom or deficit is not intentionally produced or feigned

• The symptom or deficit cannot be explained medically or seen as a result of any substance

Diagnostic Features• Weakness or paralysis• Abnormal movements such as tremors• Abnormal limb posturing• Impaired coordination or balance• Impaired vision• Impaired hearing• Gait problems

Prevalence

Precise prevalence of the disorder is unknown due to the requirement to assess the diagnosis in secondary care, where it is found in about 5% of referrals to neurological clinics

Incidence of individual persistent conversion symptoms is approximately 2-5/100,000 per year

Development and Course• Onset of non-epileptic attacks peaks in the third

decade• Motor symptoms are at their most potential in the

fourth decade• Symptoms can be transient or persistent• Prognosis of the disorder may be more prevalent

in younger children than in adolescents and adults

Culture Related Diagnostic Issues/Gender Features

• Changes similar to conversion symptoms are frequent in certain culturally sanctioned rituals

• Conversion disorder is two or three times more likely to affect females

Risk(s) and Prognostic Factors

• Maladaptive personality traits are typically connected with conversion disorder

• A past of childhood abuse and neglect as well as stressful life events are often present

• Presence of neurological disease that causes symptoms similar to conversion disorder may play a risk factor

• Short lifespan of symptoms and acceptance of the diagnosis are positive prognostic factors

• However, maladjusted personality traits, coexisting physical disease, and list of disability benefits may be negative prognostic factors

Differential Diagnosis• Main differential diagnosis is neurological diseases that could

possibly explain the symptoms better• Conversion disorder may be diagnosed as an addition to a somatic

symptom disorder• Diagnosis of conversion disorder is interpreted as unintentional but

some suggest that it could be a factitious disorder if feigning is evident

• Conversion disorder is commonly linked with dissociative symptoms• Individuals harboring body dysmorphic disorder are bound to be

more concerned with physical features as opposed to bodily functions

• Conversion disorder may be a side effect of depressive disorders, such as giving the feeling of a heavy limb

• Episodic neurological symptoms may take place in conversion disorder and panic attacks

Case StudyHolly Longford

Holly Longford from Adelaide, Australia was diagnosed with Conversion Disorder at the age of 15 after a collision while playing netball.

http://www.todaytonightadelaide.com.au/stories/conversion-disorder

Group’s Perspective

The cause of Conversion Disorder is still inconclusive today. Psychologists only know that it can be triggered through stress. Although it may seem like a scary disorder, because you don't know why it's really happening, there are some treatment for it, such as talk therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Because of it’s physical effects, it may seem like it’s part of the medical perspective but since it can’t be cured medically, it is not. We believe it can be explained by both psychodynamic and social cultural. Psychodynamic because it can caused by childhood trauma and social cultural, because it can also be triggered by stress caused by the patients social context.