Hello,

I was diagnosed with Conversion Disorder a couple years ago, although I would have never known that was my diagnosis if I had not obtained a copy of my medical records from a hospitalization that occurred and I didn't have any idea what had happened to cause this. I had become catatonic and EMS was called, thus my hospitalization. I have no memory for about a 4-5 day period. My admitting diagnosis: conversion disorder. It appears during the time I have no memory I didn't eat, talk, write, just stared. What I do remember is a feeling of "waking up" (this is hard to explain), and finding myself in a chair in the dayroom of a psych unit. I didn't know where I was or what had happened. I scanned my environment and guessed a hospital but still wasn't sure. Over a period of about a week I became my old self - only with a few deficits. At first I had trouble with my thoughts ---> speech. I would be talking and then have to stop as I couldn't get the next word out. This eventually went away. I noticed I held my right arm in a somewhat stiff position, this too improved and went away. The scariest thing that happened is I discovered I lost the ability to write. I went to write my name on a group sign in form and couldn't do it, my hand just made a weak line. I was scared at that moment. How could this happen? How would I return to work? Its not that I didn't know words or how to spell them, I couldn't physically write. I never told the hospital staff because it scared me and I was ashamed. I did confide in a friend who brought me pen/paper and every day I would practice writing my name. You would think I was in kindergarten! It actually took about one month before my writing looked somewhat normal. I practiced my name everyday, my signature, writing a sentence or two. Today, my writing looks exactly like it always has. After 10 days in the hospital I was discharged. My final diagnosis was Bipolar I Disorder, which was no shock as I have carried this diagnosis for over 20 years (I am in my mid-40's). So...that was my one and only experience with conversion disorder. My Doc thought it was triggered by stress, I am unsure of that? I was a bit stressed but definitely have had times in my life I was way more stressed and this never happened. My biggest concern: I have read that about 32% of people diagnosed with conversion disorder will have a repeat experience. I pray this never happens. It was embarrassing.