aetiology

Last reviewed 01/2018

Conversion disorder is associated with conflicts or recent stressors, and it is therorised that symptoms manifest as a result of unconscious conflict between a forbidden wish of the patient and his or her conscience

• conversion symptoms symbolically represent a partial wish fulfillment without the individual's full awareness of the unacceptable desire (e.g., vaginismus with sexual desire, syncope with arousal, paralysis with anger)
  
  
• conversion disorder has been attributed to both nonbiological and biological factors

The psychoanalytic concept of conversion disorder are symptoms are caused by the conversion of repressed anxiety into a bodily symptom which has a symbolic meaning to the patient and commonly involves a secondary gain.

The "sick role" has privileges which are helpful in the short term e.g.:

• other people are expected to help the sick person
• responsibilities such as school and work may be legitimately missed

When the balance of advantage favours the sick role it may be maintained long after any organic disease has resolved.

The high incidence of hysteria (conversion disorder) in wartime suggests that many people are capable of developing hysterical symptoms.

Reference:

• Ali S et al. Conversion Disorder- Mind versus Body: A Review.Innov Clin Neurosci. 2015 May-Jun;12(5-6):27-33.
• Dallocchio C, Marangi A, Tinazzi M. Functional or psychogenic movement disorders: an endless enigmatic tale. Front Neurol. 2015 Feb 27;6:37.