[Chuva]

Yesterday my pdoc told me I'm experiencing severe dissociative episodes (derealization and depersonalization, which sometimes lead me to thoughts of self-harm) and conversion issues. I had never heard of this last issue so I researched it a bit and found it is a somatoform disorder related to dissociation. Formerly know as hysteria, which made me cringe a little.

Basically I have numbness of the arms and near-paralysis, which make it very difficult for me to work, as I work with my computer and it's extremely hard to type in this state. I also have balance problems, to the point that some nights ago I was walking as if drunk, I couldn't walk straight and felt like I was going to faint. It goes away after some hours, usually no less than 3 or 4.

I had never heard of such issues before. Anyone else experiencing something like that?

[MobiusPsyche]

I have similar issues with a nerve pain that radiates from my chest down my arms. It only happens when I'm profoundly distressed so I believe it is a conversion symptom but I don't believe I have conversion disorder. It just goes along with dissociation, I think, rather than being an independent disorder. (Although I haven't read the new DSM-5 so I can't be certain of that.)

I also have some neurological damage from a stroke many years ago so in my case it would be literally impossible to rule out physical causes for my symptoms.

I would try to learn grounding techniques for when you feel yourself begin to dissociate with the hope that you can reduce the frequency of this problem. I wish you healing.

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[Yoda]

'How long have you been having the numbness and the balance problems? Have you had one longer than the other?

I have had poor balance and coordination at least since high school. They tested manual dexterity of all students once in high school and mine was below average.

Also I found that my balance was worse when I was premenstrual. My BF and I hiked in woodlands several times a week when possible and he noticed that I stumbled more when I was premenstrual.

When I was divorcing my abusive H I experienced paresthesia somewhat like numbness along side my left temple down the left side of my face and down my left arm. I saw a neurologist and told him I thought it might be the stress but he said we rule out disease first and then consider that. My neuro workup was normal so I wonder if perhaps what I experienced could have been conversion disorder since those symptoms stopped after a few months.

Also I experienced dissociation when my ptsd was severe so I can relate to much of what you are experiencing.

Are you currently in high stress that might make you more vulnerable to psychogenic causes? Do you have a support system or a T?

[Chuva]

Thanks, Mobius and Yoda.

I have been experiencing these issues for a very short time, say a couple of weeks. The numbness in my arms has definitely been here longer than the balance problems. Actually, I've had serious balance issues just a couple of times.

I currently only see a pdoc, as I'm in between Ts, but I will start with my new T in a couple of weeks. I believe she is specialized in somatic disorders among other things, so I will definitely ask her about this, she might have some grounding techniques for me to try. She's already been warned about my issues.

Yes, I've been experiencing severe stress this past month, since I decided to fire my T. I actually think this might be the cause for these issues. In fact, I was convinced it was due to anxiety, though my pdoc says it's a problem on its own right.

[passionfruit3]

I have conversion disorder and experience this and a full range of symptoms though mines is very severe to the point were i used to be wheelchair bound ive never been diagnosed with any dissociation though do you think i could have this

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[Chuva]

Hi passionfruit, thanks for your reply. I don't think you might have dissociation if you've never been diagnosed with it. Luckily my conversion is not as serious as that, and basically I think it is just linked to acute stress for me – so maybe it's not a disorder at all in my case, just conversion issues. Not sure, though, I'll have to ask my therapist and pdoc.

[passionfruit3]

The only reason I thought dissociation was because when i first started having conversion disorder i would scream and cry and shake and kinda not be able to come out of these episodes till much later and after i could not move at all for awhile so thats why I wondered if this was dissociation or something else

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