Conversion disorder is a rare mental health condition characterized by physical symptoms that lack a clear medical explanation and appear beyond the person’s conscious control. These symptoms can include loss of muscle control, blindness, deafness, seizures, or apparent unconsciousness.
More prevalent in women than in men, conversion disorder typically occurs between adolescence and middle age. The disorder’s name reflects the notion that psychological distress is transformed into physical symptoms. Some experts suggest that an unacceptable conflict or painful thought remains unconscious, contributing to the manifestation of symptoms. In some cases, individuals may exhibit little concern about their physical symptoms, a phenomenon referred to as “la belle indifference.”
Several factors increase the risk of developing conversion disorder, including recent significant stress, emotional trauma from family or professional issues, being female, adolescence or young adulthood, existing mental health conditions such as mood and anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, certain personality disorders, a history of physical or sexual abuse, and a family history of conversion disorder.