Conversion Disorder
Alternate Names : Hysterical Conversion
What are the treatments for the condition?
Most conversion episodes will only end with support and reassurance from healthcare providers and family members. If the symptoms do not go away within a few weeks, psychotherapy is usually the best treatment. During therapy, the person is encouraged to:
discuss stressful events and situations
learn how the disorder develops
find healthy ways to cope with stress
Hypnosis has also been used successfully. While hypnotized, a person can be told that the symptom will soon disappear. A similar approach is to talk to the person after he or she takes a relaxing medication. This sometimes helps a therapist identify the underlying conflict.
Someone who has been sexually abused usually needs help to overcome the painful effects of this trauma.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
Psychotherapy rarely has side effects. Occasionally, a person feels overwhelmed by anxiety if confronted with too many stressful thoughts and memories at once.
What happens after treatment for the condition?
If treatment is successful, a person usually has long periods without symptoms. Some people never develop symptoms again. Continued work with a therapist can help a person avoid later episodes by:
resolving the problems that prompted the symptoms
recognizing early signs of stress that might lead to an episode
How is the condition monitored?
Conversion disorder can recur even after effective treatment. Usually, episodes occur during or after a serious life stress. Ongoing psychotherapy can reduce the risk of this happening again.
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