Psychosomatic disorders are purely psychologically caused disorders that cause physical symptoms due to the connections between psyche and body. Some disorders in the field of psychosomatics are transient, i.e. they are only temporary. Dissociative conversion disorder falls into this category.

The term is a generic term for different disorders associated with different symptoms. Although the symptoms may differ to a greater or lesser extent, they share a common feature. Instead of a physical illness, a stressful event is the cause of all symptoms of dissociative conversion disorders.

Like all other psychosomatic disorders, the form of conversion disorder is characterized by the connection between mental processes or feelings and physical reactions. Tangible changes in morphology occur. The exclusion of a physical illness is the most relevant condition for the diagnosis of any dissociative conversion disorder.

Causes

In most cases, dissociative conversion disorders are based on psychological conflicts that cannot or only with difficulty be overcome by the patient. The most relevant conflicts of this kind correspond to traumatic events. Such an event can be, for example, the death of a loved one. In order to avoid additional stress, the affected person filters out the accompanying stressors in an unconscious way.

Instead of dealing with the traumatic event, an apparent illness with psychosomatic symptoms is accepted. In principle, the person concerned initially experiences a primary disease gain in the context of this procedure. According to researchers, the fact that the patient maintains the physical symptoms for months or even years is mainly due to the increased attention that the person concerned receives from fellow human beings due to the apparent illness.

Patients with dissociative conversion disorder thus experience a secondary disease gain in addition to the primary disease gain, which unconsciously encourages them to maintain their symptoms.

Symptoms, complaints & signs

The severity and manifestation of symptoms is extremely variable in the context of dissociative conversion disorder. Often there is a single symptom, such as partial amnesia. In still other cases, the motor function of patients is impaired, seizures occur, or sensory disturbances and even paresis manifest themselves. Amnesia is one of the leading symptoms.

First of all, the patient does not remember the causally stressful event. In addition to this phenomenon, dissociative stupor may occur, which affects posture, muscle tension and responsiveness to environmental stimuli. In addition to trance and possession, dissociative movement disorders may be present, especially a reduction in movement or a coordination disorder up to ataxia, dystonia or myoclonus.

Dissociative seizures similar to epilepsy as well as sensory or sensory disturbances of the skin, vision, hearing or smell are also symptomatic. In combination with conversion disorder, dissociative disorders such as Ganser syndrome may be present. In addition, personality disorders or anxiety disorders often occur at the same time.

Diagnosis

As a rule, the first course leads patients with dissociative conversion disorder to the neurologist. In the context of the anamnesis or foreign anamnesis, the neurologist often already excludes organic causes for the neurological deficit symptoms. Only in the rarest cases do the failures appear so real that an imaging is arranged.

After the exclusion of organic diseases, the suspicion of a dissociative conversion disorder is obvious with corresponding symptoms. For further diagnostics, questionnaires for self-assessment and external assessment can be used. Somatization disorders must be excluded by differential diagnosis in order to make the diagnosis of dissociative conversion disorder.

In addition, the diagnostic ideally determines the traumatic experience that triggered the symptoms. The prognosis for those affected depends primarily on the time of diagnosis and the degree of chronification of the disorder.

When to go to the doctor?

A doctor should be consulted as soon as physical and mental irregularities develop. After a traumatic experience or problems in the interaction of body and psyche, medical support is needed.

If it comes to sensory disturbances or seizures, a persistent malaise or the loss of joie de vivre, a doctor is needed. If the day-to-day private and professional obligations can no longer be carried out as usual because the general level of performance is reduced, a doctor’s visit should be made.

In the case of headaches, a diffuse experience of pain, lethargy, listlessness and listlessness, there is cause for concern. Problems of the digestive system, sharp changes in body weight and general weakness need to be examined and treated. A doctor should clarify the symptoms if they persist for several days or weeks and increase in intensity and extent. Disturbances of concentration or attention, motor problems and coordination difficulties should be examined and treated.

In case of anxiety, a feeling of fogging, changes in the muscles as well as the personality, a doctor should be consulted. A social withdrawal, a lowered mood and a persistent stress experience should be discussed with a doctor. If the symptoms occur after experiencing an intense and formative life event, it is advisable to work with a doctor or therapist.

Treatment & Therapy

Patients with dissociative conversion disorder are treated causally. This means that the therapist starts with the treatment at the cause of the disorder. As soon as the burden of the event is no longer perceived as stressful and the trauma is largely overcome, the individual symptoms of the disease recede.

Symptomatic therapy would only treat the symptoms. Symptomatic therapeutic steps to alleviate the individual symptoms are available, for example, in the form of conservative drug treatments with substances such as . The drug is a sedative that currently reduces the high level of suffering of patients with dissociative conversion disorder.

In modern therapy, however, drug therapy is used at most as an accompaniment to make the patient’s anxiety controllable until his causal cure and thus to improve his current quality of life. The main focus of treatment for patients of dissociative conversion disorder is , which allows the patient to reassess situations and their own behaviors.

In psychotherapeutic discussions, an attempt is also made to free the patient from the self-inflicted isolation as early as possible and to lead him back to reality. Otherwise, there is a risk of chronification of the disorder, which requires long-term treatment and makes healing much more difficult.

Outlook & Forecast

The prognosis of Dissociative Conversion Disorder is considered unfavorable. Many patients experience several mental disorders that worsen a chance of recovery. If the dissociative conversion disorder is diagnosed together with a disorder, a dependency, eating and personality disorder, a course of the disease over several years or decades is to be expected. In some cases, no cure occurs.

The symptoms of Dissociative Conversion Disorder can develop suddenly after a triggering event and also completely regress in the further course. Nevertheless, lasting relief is often not given. When experiencing a new life-critical event or processing repressed traumatic circumstances, the symptoms occur again. These can differ in their scope and intensity from the known complaints.

Basically, a late diagnosis leads to a less favorable prognosis. In patients who do not experience a cure for the symptoms, the treatment goal is aimed at integrating the symptoms into everyday life. The decision of the therapy goal depends on the cause of the conversion disorder as well as on the personality of the patient.

The integration achieves an overall improvement in well-being, since dealing with the disease is developed and trained in behavioral therapy . Those affected learn how to react well to life situations and the needs of their body.

Prevention

Dissociative conversion disorder can be prevented by prophylactically working through psychologically stressful situations and trauma with the support of a specialist.

Aftercare

Follow-up care for this disease proves to be very difficult in most cases. The disease must first and foremost be extensively examined by a psychologist and also treated, whereby self-healing cannot occur. The earlier this conversion disorder is recognized, the better the further course is in most cases.

For this reason, early diagnosis of conversion disorder is important. Furthermore, it is also important that relatives or friends also deal with this disease and inform themselves about the symptoms and their effects. Only with comprehensive knowledge of the disease can they help the person affected.

Intensive and, above all, loving conversations with the person concerned are also very important to alleviate the symptoms. In many cases, patients are also dependent on taking medication for conversion disorders. It is important to pay attention to a correct dosage and also to a regular intake. In the case of serious complaints, the relatives can also persuade the person concerned to seek treatment in a closed institution. As a rule, the life expectancy of the patient is not reduced by this disease.

What you can do yourself

Since Dissociative Conversion Disorder is a mental disorder, the possibilities of self-help for the person concerned are very manageable. The symptomatology of the disease includes the lack of insight into the disease. It is not possible to change thoughts and actions on one’s own initiative in such a way that relief can occur. Therefore, the person concerned should seek One of the symptoms of the disease .

Once the diagnosis has been made, it is advisable to obtain comprehensive information about the course of the disease. Through educational work, changes and improvements can be achieved. Since people from the close social environment are often directly confronted with the complaints of the patient, these people should also inform themselves sufficiently about the Dissociative Conversion Disorder.

The knowledge of the characteristics of the mental disorder helps all those involved in the immediate environment in everyday life to avoid conflicts. The understanding of shown behavior increases and it becomes more comprehensible for the relatives or friends. Personal emotional injuries diminish once the disorder has been learned.

Against all odds, a stable social environment is important for maintaining life satisfaction. For this reason, it is advisable to deal openly with the mental disorder. A withdrawal behavior is not conducive as it causes further problems.