Hi Dorisann - Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to EmpowHER. For those who are not familiar with conversion disorder, this is defined as a neurological disorder in which physical symptoms are unconsciously caused by a stressful or traumatic event. An example of this is a person who loses his voice following a situation in which he was afraid to speak. Conversion disorder is one of a group of psychological disorders called somatoform disorders.
In some cases, patients may begin to recover spontaneously. After physical causes for the symptoms have been ruled out, patients may begin to feel better and symptoms may begin to fade. In some cases, patients may need assistance in recovering from their symptoms.
Dorisann, you mentioned that you are under the care of a doctor. Is this a medical doctor or a psychiatrist? There are several treatment options that a psychiatrist can use, including the following:
* Counseling and psychotherapy—Discussing the stressful event with a counselor may help you cope with the underlying cause of the physical symptoms. Continued work to learn how to deal with stressors throughout life will also be important, as about 25% of patients with these disorders often have future episodes.
* Pharmacological therapy—In some cases, antidepressants may be used to speed recovery. Studies have shown that antidepressants may be helpful for patients with conversion disorder.
This doctor finder tool from WebMD can help you locate psychiatrists in your area. You can then contact them individually to find out if they have experience in treating conversion disorder. http://doctor.webmd.com/physician_finder/home.aspx?sponsor=core
An important aspect of recovery is finding support. Many people find it extremely helpful to meet others who share their same condition. There are several support groups and chat rooms with others who have your same medical condition.
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Hi Dorisann - Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to EmpowHER. For those who are not familiar with conversion disorder, this is defined as a neurological disorder in which physical symptoms are unconsciously caused by a stressful or traumatic event. An example of this is a person who loses his voice following a situation in which he was afraid to speak. Conversion disorder is one of a group of psychological disorders called somatoform disorders.
In some cases, patients may begin to recover spontaneously. After physical causes for the symptoms have been ruled out, patients may begin to feel better and symptoms may begin to fade. In some cases, patients may need assistance in recovering from their symptoms.
Dorisann, you mentioned that you are under the care of a doctor. Is this a medical doctor or a psychiatrist? There are several treatment options that a psychiatrist can use, including the following:
* Counseling and psychotherapy—Discussing the stressful event with a counselor may help you cope with the underlying cause of the physical symptoms. Continued work to learn how to deal with stressors throughout life will also be important, as about 25% of patients with these disorders often have future episodes.
* Pharmacological therapy—In some cases, antidepressants may be used to speed recovery. Studies have shown that antidepressants may be helpful for patients with conversion disorder.
This doctor finder tool from WebMD can help you locate psychiatrists in your area. You can then contact them individually to find out if they have experience in treating conversion disorder. http://doctor.webmd.com/physician_finder/home.aspx?sponsor=core
An important aspect of recovery is finding support. Many people find it extremely helpful to meet others who share their same condition. There are several support groups and chat rooms with others who have your same medical condition.
Psychforums: http://www.psychforums.com/conversion-disorder/
Yahoo Group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/somatoform_and_conversionsupport/
Let us know if this has helped you, and we wish you the very best.
August 24, 2010 - 6:39pmPat
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