Conversion Disorder: Symptoms and Management Health ConditionsFeaturedBreast CancerIBD MigraineMultiple Sclerosis (MS)Rheumatoid ArthritisType 2 DiabetesSponsored TopicsArticlesAcid RefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's & DementiaBipolar DisorderCancerCrohn's DiseaseChronic PainCold & FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeart DiseaseHigh CholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkin Disorders and CareSTDsDiscoverWellness TopicsNutritionFitnessSkin CareSexual HealthWomen's HealthMental HealthSleepOriginal SeriesFresh Food FastDiagnosis DiariesYou’re Not AlonePresent TenseVideo SeriesYouth in FocusHealthy HarvestNo More SilenceFuture of HealthPlanHealth ChallengesMindful EatingSugar SavvyMove Your BodyGut HealthMood FoodsAlign Your SpineFind CarePrimary CareMental HealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyle QuizzesWeight ManagementAm I Depressed? A Quiz for TeensAre You a Workaholic?How Well Do You Sleep?Tools & ResourcesHealth NewsFind a DietFind Healthy SnacksDrugs A-ZHealth A-ZConnectFind Your Bezzy CommunityBreast CancerInflammatory Bowel DiseasePsoriatic ArthritisMigraineMultiple SclerosisPsoriasisFollow us on social mediaShopProducts by ConditionInsomniaStress ReliefBack PainNeck PainSleep ApneaHot SleepersAllergiesPain ReliefProduct ReviewsVitamins & SupplementsSleepMental HealthNutritionAt-Home TestingCBDMen’s HealthWomen’s HealthHealth ConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribe

Conversion Disorder Why This Happens and How You Manage It

Medically reviewed by Yalda Safai, MD, MPH — By Rachael Zimlich, RN, BSN on October 6, 2022The brain is a complex organ that produces all kinds of physical and emotional effects on your body. Sometimes, emotional trauma or psychological stress can trigger physical symptoms. When this happens, your symptoms are real and tangible but may be difficult for others to recognize or understand. Physical symptoms that develop from psychological stress or emotional trauma have been called hysteria in the past but are now known as conversion disorder or functional neurological disorder (FND). This article will explain the basics behind this disorder, the symptoms you may experience, who may develop it more often, and how healthcare professionals treat it.

What is conversion disorder

Conversion disorder is a psychiatric disorder first described by Sigmund Freud more than a century ago. Also known as FND, conversion disorder develops when your nervous system can function typically but does not function correctly. The disorder involves psychological stress or emotional trauma converting into physical symptoms. It has become more accepted and understood in recent years because of functional imaging studies and other new testing tools. For people who have this disorder, there is no physical cause of symptoms. But rather, they experience a trigger that interrupts signals from the brain to different areas of the body. When these signals experience an interruption, physical symptoms like paralysis can temporarily appear and then disappear.

What are the causes

Anyone can develop conversion disorder, but it’s most common in people who have been through traumatic physical or psychological events. Between 4 and 50 out of every 100,000 people may experience this disorder, and it’s most common in:women, especially those with a history of sexual traumachildren younger than 10 years oldpeople who experience educational, socioeconomic, and health inequities Some potential triggers that can cause this disorder or related symptoms to appear include:anxietyemotional stresswitnessing violent eventschildhood sexual abusea history of abuse or mistreatmentnegative personal relationships There is also a 2021 study that suggested inflammation can play a role in the development of conversion disorder.

Fiction or reality Assessing the symptoms of conversion disorder

Symptoms like sudden paralysis or speech difficulties can signal serious neurological events like a stroke. Although conversion disorder is not rooted in physical, neurological events like a brain bleed or blood clot, your healthcare professional may check you for other possible causes of your symptoms. A doctor may perform imaging studies to rule out other underlying causes — or issues occurring alongside your conversion disorder — and to make an accurate diagnosis.

What are the symptoms of conversion disorder

Symptoms of conversion disorder can vary from person to person, appearing and resolving suddenly or lasting for years. The appearance of unexplained neurological symptoms usually leads to a diagnosis of conversion disorder. Some of the symptoms that people report with this disorder may include:paralysisinvoluntary movementstremorsseizures unrelated to epilepsymemory lapsesbehavior changesconfusionloss of consciousnessdifficulty with walking, balance, or posturemuscle stiffness or ticsslurred speechstutteringvision or hearing changesnumbnessheadaches or migrainechronic pain

How long do symptoms last

How long symptoms last can be unique to your experience. Symptoms can come and go quickly or last for years. Researchers are currently unsure why some people have symptoms longer than others, but the degree of trauma or stress you experienced that triggered the symptoms may have something to do with it.

Is there treatment for conversion disorder

Conversion disorder is, in a way, a treatment on its own for psychological or emotional stresses. A sort of protective mechanism, conversion disorder is thought to be your body’s way of helping you to dissociate or cope with difficult situations or events. Dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness, and other therapies that focus on recognizing and accepting the disorder are used most often and most effectively for treating conversion disorder. In a 2018 case report, cognitive and behavioral therapy that focused on tolerating stress, regulating emotions, and other coping skills decreased seizures by about 60%. The report also found that these treatments eliminated symptoms completely in about 30% of people who had seizures from conversion disorder. There are no specific medications to treat the disorder, but several therapies may help:occupational therapyspeech therapyphysical therapypsychotherapytranscranial magnetic stimulationtranscutaneous electrical stimulation Depending on your triggering factors for conversion disorder, your healthcare professional may also suggest medications to treat conditions like anxiety and depression.

Takeaway

Conversion disorder was described more than a century ago as a hysterical disorder in which psychological or emotional stress translated into physical symptoms ranging from fatigue to paralysis. Newer functional brain imaging tests helped identify conversion disorder as a true disorder, not just something that a person imagines. Since this disorder develops as a sort of protection mechanism to help you cope with past trauma or abuse, cognitive and behavioral therapies are usually most helpful as treatments. Your doctor may prescribe you medication for depression or anxiety or therapies to help with speech or movement difficulties. Last medically reviewed on October 6, 2022

How we vetted this article

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Ali S, et al. (2015). Conversion disorder: Mind versus body - a review.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479361/Cassedy A, et al. (2013). The impact of socio-economic status on health related quality of life for children and adolescents with heart disease.
hqlo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1477-7525-11-99 Cretton A, et al. (2019). What does neuroscience tell us about the conversion model of functional neurologic disorders?
neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.19040089Crosson B, et al. (2010). Functional imaging and related techniques: An introduction for rehabilitation researchers.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225087/Feinstein A, et al. (2021). Understanding conversion disorder: How contemporary brain imaging is shedding light on an early Freudian concept.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022395621004325\Functional neurologic disorder. (2022).
ninds.nih.gov/functional-neurologic-disorderHrastilj J, et al. (2022). Socioeconomic status in neurological disorders: A modifiable risk factor?
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9120077/Rancourt D, et al. (2018). Conversion disorder (functional neurological symptom disorder) in primary mental health.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1534650118808388van der Feltz-Cornelis C, et al. (2021). Assessment of cytokines, microRNA and patient-related outcome measures in conversion disorder/functional neurological disorder (CD/FND): The CANDO clinical feasibility study.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354621000314?via%3DihubOur experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Current Version Oct 6, 2022 By Rachael Zimlich Edited By Mike Hoskins Medically Reviewed By Yalda Safai, MD, MPH Copy Edited By Sofia Santamarina Share this articleMedically reviewed by Yalda Safai, MD, MPH — By Rachael Zimlich, RN, BSN on October 6, 2022

Read this next

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What Is It and How Does It Work? Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most well-studied types of therapy. We’ll go over how it works and what to do if you’re interested in…READ MOREWhat Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia?Medically reviewed by Janet Hilbert, MD If you live with insomnia, you may want to learn how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help. Learn how CBT works for insomnia. READ MORECan Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Be Used for Schizophrenia?Medically reviewed by Nicole Washington, DO, MPH What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and is it an effective treatment for schizophrenia? Learn more here. READ MOREOverview of Isaacs’ SyndromeMedically reviewed by Angelica Balingit, MD Isaacs’ syndrome is an extremely rare condition that causes continuous muscle twitching, spasming, and stiffening. There is no cure, but it’s often…READ MOREUnderstanding Increased Intracranial Pressure Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is a rise in pressure around your brain. Learn about its symptoms and how it's treated.READ MOREFunctional Neurologic Disorder: What You Should Know Functional neurologic disorder is a condition that develops when your body tries to cope with past physical or emotional traumas. Triggering events or…READ MOREExercises to Improve Thoracic Outlet SyndromeMedically reviewed by Amy Elizabeth Wolkin, PT, DPT, MBA If you are managing thoracic outlet syndrome, there are some exercises and stretches that may help. Check with your doctor before beginning, and read…READ MORETypes of Neuromuscular Disorders: Their Symptoms and TreatmentsMedically reviewed by Nancy Hammond, M.D. Learn about different types of neuromuscular disorders, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and more.READ MOREEverything You Need to Know About Brachial Plexus Injuries Anyone can injure their brachial plexus, including newborns during childbirth. Learn the causes and symptoms.READ MORE*clone Market VIP* The 11 Best Mattresses for Lower Back Pain in 2022Medically reviewed by Gregory Minnis, DPT These 11 picks are some of the best mattresses for lower back pain. Offering medium-firm support, they’ll help keep you aligned and rested.READ MORE