Conversion Disorder

[AnnikaGrainne]

I was looking at some of the other posts on here and I saw that there was one thread (which is now closed to new posts) about conversion disorder.  

I was diagnosed with conversion disorder 2 years ago and have been through the ringer with it.  I am a lot better now (after psychotherapy, introspection, and time) but I am still in the process of trying to understand what happened to me.

I also have the feeling that there are probably a lot of people out there who would like to communicate on this issue.  

Does anyone know of any good resources to learn about conversion disorder?  

I would post my email address on here if anyone wants to communicate about it but the instructions say my post will be removed if I do.

[cricket_42]

Hi, I am new here and didnt get to read that post. What is conversion disorder, could you please explain it so I will know, I am very interested. Thanks Christy

[daisi982]

Hi, I am new to this forum and I was just diagnosed with conversion disorder.  I am having a hard time dealing with it so would love to know any comments or tips others may have. I feel so alone right now :(

[bex94]

Hi my names becci and iv bein diagnosed with conversion disorder if anyone would like to chat to me about it they are more than welcome! please please get in touch!! nobody out there has to be alone coping with this or has to be scared!

[Jennifer78]

Hi! I've been diagnosed with Conversion Disorder...I think I'm on my 4th year of dealing with it.  Yeah it does make you feel alone.  It makes me feel like a freak.  There are days that I just seem to be doing well and then other days when I just don't even leave the house because I fall down and have a hard time walking.  I think it's such a strange disorder!  It just came one day and it seems like every attack I have it adds something new onto it.  Any of you guys ever say gibberish or bad words that you can't help but say during an attack of it?  I notice that my talking gets rather slow and then I just have a lot of repetitive movements in my arms/hands and other places.  It's just odd and I don't understand it.  Sure they say it's some inner conflict that you have but it's like gee what inner conflict do I have that is so bad that my brain does this to me?!  Uhhh I guess one day I'll figure it out.  I just wish I knew how to stop it.

[littlewildcatt]

Did you have any trouble breathing before and during?
Afterwards did you feel completely normal or were there days it seemed to take forever to recover?
High blood pressure or heart rate?
Did you or anyone else reading experience complete paralysis with feeling?
Have you had any prior head injury within a year of experiencing these problems even a mild concussion?

I have experienced some of what you described, mostly losing the ability to walk, stand, sometimes even move them without my body weight.

Big issue is I had a serious car accident a year ago and because this whole time no one could figure it out they say its this.  However I looked up conversion disorder and I do not meet the description.

[hollymcdorman]

OMG!!! I had no idea that there were so many people out there like me...my tears are falling now......I am trying to stay calm...I was diagnois almost a year ago...and my whole life came crashing down...I lost my house....and everything I was knew was me. I don't know who I am now. This whole disorder seems very very weird. I am sure if I can ever accept this as my fate. Please someone help me......please

[Jennifer78]

Hey!  Sorry it's taken me awhile to get back to you...I haven't been on here in a little while and I just noticed that you had written me on this forum!   Anyways...hmm as far as trouble breathing during an attack...that doesn't really happen.  I may do a repetitive wheeze or something but I know I'm getting air in and all.  I was hit in the head two weeks prior to the disorder starting but doctors keep telling me that I wasn't hit hard enough for it to cause this.  They are like well it's just coincidental and would've started anyway.  I keep thinking there's no way...it must have triggered something off in my brain to start the conversion disorder but whatever.  Yeah I had been hit in the head by a partition that fell at work.  I didn't get knocked out or anything but it hurt for like a half hour and then I felt a little loopy (kind of like you feel right before you get a real bad head cold) the rest of the day.  I had a small indent on the top of my head from where my sunglasses were on my head when the thing fell on it and when I'd press on it I'd feel real weird like I was going to pass out if it kept getting pressed.  After a couple of weeks if that spot was touched then the muscles in my right eye would kind of contract or something and make my eye look like it was squinting and then be gone in five minutes and blah blah blah it just kept developing into other symptoms and would last longer.  

As far as the attacks go I can have one last for an hour or two and then go back to being "normal" or they can last even up to an entire week.  The entire week ones are bad because it really disables me due to the hard time walking and getting around.  

I think my blood pressure and heart rate are normal. Conversion Disorder is different for everyone though.  Did your doctor run a lot of tests?  Conversion Disorder is usually diagnosed when no other physical medical evidence can be found for the symptoms you are experiencing.  I had CAT scans, MRIs, and even a lumbar puncture to rule out other things that may be causing it.  I am still learning how to cope with stress and recognize that I have stress in the first place.  I think my brain has just gotten used to taking stress and immediately putting it away to convert it a few days later.  I usually don't feel the emotion of the stress so that makes it a little harder to identify.    Okay I've probably said enough by now.  Take care and have a lovely day

[Jennifer78]

Hey Holly!  Well if you do have conversion disorder then it's best to seek therapy and a psychiatrist who can find a medication that might relieve the anxiety the best for you and also start helping you with finding out what the trigger may be.  It is freaking hard to find out what the triggers are but once you do it gets a little easier but still frustrating.  I've had conversion so far for four years.  It took awhile to get diagnosed and now I'm working with a good therapist and my medication seems to take the edge of anxiety off for me too.  It's just a frustrating disorder to have and it's hard for others to understand.  I usually try and just stay in my room if I'm having a bad attack of it because I'm embarrassed and then if it is real bad then its' hard to get around anyway.  If you have any questions I am more than happy to try and answer them as best I can!  Take care.