Conversion Disorder

Conversion Disorder: When the Body Speaks What the Mind Suppresses

What Is Conversion Disorder?

Conversion Disorder, also known in clinical settings as Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (FND), is a condition where individuals exhibit neurological symptoms—such as paralysis, blindness, or seizures—without any identifiable medical cause. While the symptoms are real and distressing, they are not caused by structural or biochemical abnormalities in the nervous system. Instead, they are believed to be the result of unresolved psychological conflict or emotional stress.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the disorder is categorized under “Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders,” signifying its roots in psychological processes manifesting physically (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It is more common in females and often emerges in adolescence or early adulthood.

Core Features of Conversion Disorder

• Neurological Symptoms Without Neurological Cause
  Symptoms mimic neurological conditions but lack medical explanations.
  
  

• Psychological Trigger
  Often linked to trauma, psychological conflict, or significant stressors.
  
  

• Impairment and Distress
  Despite no detectable physical pathology, the symptoms are debilitating.
  
  

• Fluctuation and Recovery
  Symptoms can change over time or even disappear suddenly.
  
  

Symptoms of Conversion Disorder

The symptoms are as varied as they are dramatic. They may include:

• Sudden loss of motor function (e.g., limb paralysis)
  
  

• Non-epileptic seizures
  
  

• Vision or hearing loss without physical damage
  
  

• Inability to speak or swallow
  
  

• Abnormal gait or tremors
  
  

These symptoms may appear following a stressful life event, but in some cases, the stressor may not be consciously remembered or recognized by the patient.

Causes and Contributing Factors

Conversion Disorder is thought to stem from a complex interplay of psychological, neurological, and social factors:

• Psychological Conflict or Trauma
  Studies suggest a link with unresolved emotional trauma, such as abuse or grief (Stone et al., 2005).
  
  

• Defense Mechanisms
  Freudian theories proposed that the mind “converts” psychological stress into physical symptoms as a coping mechanism.
  
  

• Neurobiological Correlates
  Recent neuroimaging research has identified changes in brain areas related to emotion regulation, attention, and motor control, indicating a neurological basis for these functional changes (Espay et al., 2018).
  
  

• Sociocultural Influences
  In societies where psychological expression is stigmatized, symptoms may take a more physical form. Gender roles and expectations, particularly in women, can also influence the manifestation of symptoms (Kanaan et al., 2011).
  
  

The Role of Society and Culture

Cultural beliefs play a critical role in how Conversion Disorder is understood and treated. In some communities, physical symptoms are more socially acceptable than emotional distress, encouraging somatic expression. Societal stigma toward mental illness can also delay diagnosis and increase suffering. Religious and spiritual interpretations, especially in communities lacking mental health literacy, often view symptoms as possession, curses, or divine punishment rather than psychological distress.

According to the disorder list reviewed from NIH-aligned summaries, Conversion Disorder is more frequently reported among women, often in contexts where emotional repression or psychological conflict is not openly addressed. Access to therapy, cultural views of gender roles, and acceptance of somatization significantly influence how the disorder presents and is treatedDisorders List - Sheet1.

HAQ’s Embrace

At the Home of Abrahamic Quiver, we do not see paralysis or blindness where others see confusion—we see cries for spiritual release. We recognize that the body often bears the burden of unspoken suffering. HAQ provides spiritual care where the medical world finds no answers. Through solemn prayer, community support, and rites of deliverance (not named as exorcism but rooted in sacred traditions), we engage the soul to unburden the body.

Here, you are not a medical mystery. You are a sacred being in need of light.

References:

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
  
  

• Espay, A. J., Aybek, S., Carson, A., et al. (2018). Current concepts in diagnosis and treatment of functional neurological disorders. JAMA Neurology, 75(9), 1132–1141.
  
  

• Kanaan, R. A., Armstrong, D., & Wessely, S. C. (2011). The function of 'functional': A mixed methods investigation. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 82(5), 675–679.
  
  

• Stone, J., Smyth, R., Carson, A., et al. (2005). Systematic review of misdiagnosis of conversion symptoms and “hysteria”. BMJ, 331(7523), 989.

“I Thought She Was Just Being Quiet”
A father’s story of watching his daughter disappear into Conversion Disorder

At first, I thought she was just being quiet.

Teenagers pull away—it’s part of growing up. But then came the day she didn’t get out of bed. Not because she was tired, not because she was sick. She just said her legs wouldn’t move.

I remember laughing a little at first. “Come on,” I told her, “get up. We’ve got school, remember?” But she didn’t move. She looked up at me with tears streaming down her face and whispered, “I’m trying.”

That was the moment I knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

We went to doctor after doctor. They scanned her brain, tested her nerves, poked, prodded, and puzzled. “Everything looks normal,” they said. “No physical cause.” One physician suggested it was “all in her head.” Another said, “Maybe she just wants attention.”

But this wasn’t pretend. I had seen her legs buckle beneath her. I had watched her hands seize up mid-sentence. I had sat beside her as she stared at a wall, blinking like she didn’t know where she was.

I’m her father. I fix things. But I couldn’t fix this.

HAQ’s Embrace

At the Home of Abrahamic Quiver, Conversion Disorder is not treated as a medical riddle to solve—it is approached as a spiritual burden that needs to be lifted.

HAQ responds to these conditions not with clinical labels, but with sacred care. Through dedicated prayer, ritual cleansing, and the invocation of divine mercy, HAQ works to relieve the spiritual conflict believed to manifest as physical paralysis or silence. We do not medicalize suffering; we engage it as a deeper signal—an echo of the unseen.

No diagnostics. No stigma. Only faith, compassion, and deliverance.