131 readings
By Pedro Linares Manuel
“When the mind is left without words, the body begins to speak with gestures that the soul cannot translate.”
Conversion disorder, also known as functional neurological symptom disorder, is a condition in which a person has physical symptoms similar to those of a neurological disease—such as paralysis, loss of sensation, tremors, or difficulty speaking or walking—without an explanatory medical cause.
BODY REACTIONS
Unlike a malingering disorder, the symptoms of conversion disorder are unintentional. The person really experiences them and their body reacts to intense psychological conflicts, stress or emotional traumas that manifest through the nervous system. That is, the body “converts” the emotional conflict into a physical symptom.
For example, a person may temporarily lose their voice after a loud argument or become immobile after witnessing a traumatic event. The body blocks emotional expression to protect the mind from the impact of suffering, but the price is the momentary loss of some physical function.
IDENTIFY CONFLICTS
The therapeutic approach must be comprehensive and empathetic, including psychotherapy to identify the underlying conflict, relaxation techniques and, in some cases, physical therapy to recover the body’s functionality. It is not about convincing the patient that “everything is in their head”, but rather about helping them recognize the emotional language that their body tries to express.
Practical challenge: Reflect on which part of your body you feel the most tension when you are worried about something. Maybe your neck, your back or your stomach are saying what your words dare not utter. Give yourself permission to feel and release what weighs you down.
Let us remember that the mind and body are not separate: each thought, emotion and memory leaves a physiological imprint. Understanding this union is one of the deepest keys to inclusive psychology and comprehensive well-being.
I offer scheduled talks in schools, companies and associations on psychosomatic mental health and emotional management. Request them by WhatsApp with the word: “READER – PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFERENCES”. I also perform scheduled clinical evaluations, order it with the word: “READER – CLINICAL EVALUATION.”
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