Conversion Disorder And La Belle-independent

Conversion disorder, or la belle-independent, is a functional disorder, but the symptoms are physical, almost as if it were a physical illness.

Disorders with somatic symptoms are derivatives of hysterical nerve disorders.

Conversion disorder is a symptomatology in which the body’s functions are weakened, and all this happens without any physical damage and it does not form part of any actual disease.

Disorders with somatic symptoms, such as conversion disorders, should not be confused with psychosomatic disorders.

This is because the former has a known pathophysiological process as there are psychological factors.

Clinical features of conversion disorder

Conversion disorder basically means that you lose bodily functions.

You will therefore come across patients who have suddenly become blind, lost their voice, have a paralyzed limb or who have a really serious headache.

However, there is nothing that can explain these things. So why is this happening?

Conversion disorders manifest as histrionic personality disorders. A histrionic personality tends to be selfish and dependent, for example. This personality is also more susceptible to somatic disorders.

A characteristic of a conversion disorder is the so-called belle independence, where patients do not worry about the symptoms they experience.

Let’s say you wake up one day and have a paralyzed arm. You will worry about this, analyze your situation, go to the doctor and have anxiety about the situation. This is perfectly normal.

However, this does not happen in patients who have a conversion disorder. They seem indifferent to the situation.

The symptoms of conversion disorder can vary. Common symptoms are blindness, deafness, paralysis and aphonia.

The symptoms usually occur in teenagers and young adults. They can also manifest during childhood, especially in children under ten years of age.

Women are at higher risk of suffering from this problem.

Patients with low socioeconomic status, less psychological development, or low levels of education are worse off, just like women at the age of 40 who come from homes in rural areas.

The symptoms tend to disappear after a few days with or without treatment. If a person is forced to go through an event that is really stressful, the symptoms will probably show up again.

That is the reason why it is a chronic ailment.

Explanation and treatment

In most cases, the condition can be triggered by an episode of stress. Sometimes the symptoms are related to the problem that caused them.

For example, there are patients who feel pain in the same place when they see that another person is injured during an accident. It can also be a way to get attention.

A good prognosis is based on the ability to identify the stressful event, the absence of other mental and physical ailments, the absence of legal procedures and a short symptomatology period.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to help patients lower their anxiety levels and manage stress. There are several techniques, such as hypnosis and relaxation, that can be helpful.