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abdominal pain, 30–1, 211–15, 279
abreaction, 91–3, 144
acupuncture, 84
adrenal glands, 196
AIDS see HIV/AIDS
alexithymia, 243
Alice, 176–83, 201–7
amnesia, 92, 184–6
amok, 207–8
amygdala, 194
amyl nitrite, 163
aneurysms, 250–1
anger, 110–11
Anna O. see Pappenheim, Bertha
anxiety, 89, 234, 276, 278, 279, 284
see also hypochondria
asthma, 20
asylums, 80, 118–23
attention, 193
autoimmune disorders, 176–7
back pain, 163–4
Beard, George, 234
bereavement, 277, 297–301
Berger, Hans, 40–1
blepharospasm, 183–5
blindness, 127–41, 170–5, 188
blushing, 3
bone-marrow transplants, 154–61
botox, 102–4
the brain
aneurysms, 250–1
brain regions and consciousness, 193–4
MRI scans, 85, 86–7, 193–4, 199–200, 251–2
and psychosomatic disorders, 198–201
relationship with the mind, 198–9
tumours, 265–6
breast cancer, 177–83, 201–7
breathing problems, 245
Brenda, 11–14
Breuer, Josef, 58, 187–91
Brouillet, André, 117–18
Camilla, 259–73, 296–301
cancer, 177–83, 201–7
candidiasis, 209
Cassandra (mythological character), 97
CAT scans see computerised tomography scans
catatonia, 92
CBT see cognitive behavioural therapy
CFS see ME/CFS
Charcot, Jean-Baptiste, 118
Charcot, Jean-Martin
and Freud, 187
and Janet, 141–2
on male hysterics, 276
overview of hysteria work, 84, 116–23
on susceptibility, 273
on triggers, 276
chest pain, 181, 201–5
childhood
and somatisation, 279–80
and susceptibility, 275
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) see ME/CFS
the clitoris, and hysteria, 281
cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), 246
collapsing see dissociative seizures; fainting
computerised tomography (CAT/CT) scans, 85
concentration, lack of, 225
consciousness, 143, 189, 192, 193–4
conversion disorders (hysteria)
author’s own experience, 311–13
classical and historical understanding, 78–84, 116–23, 141–4, 187–91, 273–4, 281–2
definition, 19, 46–8
modern usage, 191–2
origins of term, 189–90, 192
and physical disease, 20
public reaction to, 268–71
understanding of the mechanism, 177, 183, 186–216
convulsions see dissociative seizures; epilepsy
cortisol, 196
coughs, 188
CT scans see computerised tomography scans
culture-bound syndromes, 207–9
Daniel, 249–58
deafness, 245
deception, 127–70
denial, 110–26, 217
depression
and abdominal pain, 279
and brain diseases, 199
and gender, 284
and IBS, 244
and ME/CFS, 232, 234
and psychosomatic disorders, 27, 225–6, 276
symptoms, 242
diabetes, 60
diagnosis
diagnostic terms, 16–21
effect of incorrect diagnoses on recovery, 151–3
epilepsy, 85, 291–2
patient response to, 22, 97–126, 246–9, 268–73
and psychosomatic disorders, 10, 21–2, 58, 67–73, 85–91, 148–53
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), 17–18, 192
discrimination
disability, 271
sexual, 289–96
disease
definition, 21
and psychosomatic disorders, 22
dissociation, 144, 191–2, 273–4, 297–301
dissociative disorders see conversion disorders
dissociative seizures
and alexithymia, 243
case studies, 11–15, 23–57, 111–16, 123–6, 154–61, 162, 182–3, 211–16, 259–73, 285–8, 289–308
diagnosis, 39–46, 149–50
and epilepsy, 125, 210, 302–8
and gender, 281, 283
historical understanding, 116–23
lack of medical explanation, 197
modern view, 192
other names for, 247–9
public reaction to, 268–71
recovery rate, 296
and sexual abuse, 192, 275
statistics, 245, 310
typical pattern, 146–8
drugs, 91–3
DSM see Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
dystonia, 97–110, 199–200
eating disorders, 50, 188, 190
EBV see Epstein–Barr virus
Eleanor, 250–1
electroencephalographs (EEGs), 40–6
Elizabeth, Fraulein, 206
emotion
alexithymia, 243
and awareness, 194
and disability, 5–6
and nervous system, 194–7
physical expressions, 3–5
and psychosomatic disorders, 6–10, 15, 194–7, 243
epilepsy
blackouts and brain activity, 43–4
and depression, 199
diagnosis and explanation, 85, 291–2
different forms, 278–9
and dissociative seizures, 125, 210, 302–8
and genetics, 290–1
and laughter, 315
and MRI scans, 200
triggers, 2, 40
see also dissociative seizures
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), 237
excitement: physical effects, 3–4
eyes
inability to open, 183–5
see also blindness
facial pain, 190
factitious disorder see Munchausen’s syndrome
fainting, 3–4, 40, 42–3, 197
see also dissociative seizures
faking it, 127–70
false memories, 93, 274
fatigue
as common symptom, 8–9
frequency of chronic, 245
and lupus, 176
subjectivity of, 218–19
and thyroid disease, 20
see also ME/CFS
Fatima, 67–73
fibromyalgia, 226, 244
food allergies and intolerance, 27–8, 209
Freud, Sigmund
and gender of sufferers, 282
on laughter, 314
and nasal irritation, 82–3
overview of hysteria work, 84, 187–93, 206
quotation, 259
on susceptibility, 274
on triggers, 276
functional: definition, 17
functional neurological disorders see conversion disorders
Galen, 1, 79, 195, 196
gender
sexual discrimination, 289–96
and susceptibility, 280–5
genes, 273
Glover, Mary, 80
gluten sensitivity, 209
grisi siknis, 208–9
Grosz, Stephen, 23
headaches, 180–1, 244–5, 249–55
health anxiety see hypochondria
Hippocrates, 78
HIV/AIDS, 239
hormones
and ME/CFS, 241
and stress, 196
HPA axis see hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
humours, the four, 78–9
hypnosis
and false memories, 93, 274
and hysteria, 91, 120–1, 142, 143–4, 187–91
hypochondria, 249–58
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, 196, 241
hysteria see conversion disorders
IBS see irritable bowel syndrome
illness
as a crutch, 215–16
definition, 21
gains from, 285–8
and psychosomatic disorders, 22
illness behaviour disorder, 197–8, 280
inheritance, 273, 279
interferons, 231–2
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 243–4, 280
Janet, Pierre, 84, 141–4, 189, 192–3, 273–4, 276
Jo, 289–96
Joan, 162–3
Johnson, Samuel, 245
joint pain, 26–9, 176
Judith, 154–61, 163
Jung, Carl, 302
koro, 208
laughter, 313–15
leg pain, 34, 35, 57
leukaemia, 154–61
life experience, influence of, 210
limbic encephalitis, 125–6
limbs, loss of strength and sensation in
and the brain, 86–7, 199–200
case studies, 31–2, 50, 58–77, 89, 93–6, 163–7, 169, 182, 188, 201–5
as conversion disorder symptom, 19
and gender, 282–3
induction by suggestion, 144
lack of medical explanation, 196–7
somatic causes, 72
Linda, 89
lipomas, 89
Liz, 285–8
London: Royal Free Hospital, 236
Lorna, 211–15
Louyer-Villermay, Jean-Baptiste, 283
lupus, 176–7
Lyme disease, 223–4, 252
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, 85, 86–7, 193–4, 199–200, 251–2
magnets, 121
Maine: jumping Frenchmen, 208
Malaysia, 208
malingerers, 163–70
see also faking it
Maria, 302–8
Mary, 183–6, 207
masturbation, 281
Matthew, 58–67, 90–1, 93, 148
ME/CFS (neurasthenia), 218–43
and behavioural factors, 280
case studies, 218–34, 243, 245–6
causes, 238–41
compared to somatisation disorders, 241–2
definition, 237–8
and fibromyalgia, 244
and gender, 281
historical understanding, 234–7
and IBS, 244
medical treatments, 246
origins of terms, 236
recovery rates, 239
statistics, 232
media, influence of, 209–10
medical tests, dangers of, 250–2
medically unexplained symptoms: definition, 16
memory, 193
metallotherapy, 121
migraine, 244–5
see also headaches
the mind
consciousness, 143, 189, 192, 193–4
relationship with the brain, 198–9
the subconscious, 141–8, 189, 192, 210
Miskito tribe, 208–9
motor neurone disease, 119
MRI scans see magnetic resonance imaging scans
multiple sclerosis
and conversion disorder sufferers, 58–67, 73–7
and depression, 199
historical understanding, 119, 239
medical tests, 65–6, 85
treatments, 231–2
Munchausen’s syndrome, 154–63, 167–8, 169–70
muscle spasms, 97–110
muteness, 188, 190
myalgic encephalomyelitis see ME/CFS
nasal irritation, 82–3
nervous system, 194–7, 217–18
neurasthenia see ME/CFS
neurology
Charcot’s work, 116–23
diagnosis methods for conversion disorders, 88–90
and dissociation, 192
neuroplasticity, 200
Nevada: Incline Village, 237
non-epileptic attacks see dissociative seizures
noses, 82–3
Oedipal complex theory, 274
organic: definition, 21
Orwell, George, 97
osteopathy, 84
ovaries, and hysteria, 121, 122, 281
pain
as common symptom, 8–9
fibromyalgia, 226, 244
in ME sufferers, 221–6
and psychosomatic disorders, 244–5
and somatic symptom disorders, 18
see also abdominal pain; back pain; chest pain; facial pain; headaches; joint pain; leg pain
Pappenheim, Bertha (Anna O.), 188–9, 190, 191
paralysis
and the brain, 86–7, 199–200
case studies, 58–77, 89, 93–6, 163–7, 169, 182, 188, 201–5
and gender, 282–3
induction by suggestion, 144
lack of medical explanation, 196–7
Paris: Hospice de la Salpêtrière, 118–23, 142–4, 187, 281
Parkinson’s disease, 119
Pauline, 23–57, 148, 196
perception, 193
illnesses of, 198
personality, and susceptibility, 275–6
Peter, 285–8
Pilowsky, Issy, 197
pins and needles see limbs, loss of strength and sensation in
pituitary gland, 196
polio, 119
pregnancy, 277
pseudoseizures see dissociative seizures
psychiatry
and blindness, 170–4
and dissociative seizures, 48–57, 113–16, 125, 292–5
and functional paralysis, 93–6
link between susceptibility and history of psychiatric illnesses, 276
origins, 187–91
see also cognitive behavioural therapy
psychogenic: definition, 16
psychogenic seizures see dissociative seizures
psychosomatic disorders
common symptoms, 8–9
definition, 5–6, 16
and disease and illness, 21–2
medical terms and classifications, 16–21
statistics and financial costs, 6, 7–8, 309–10
subconscious reasons for staying ill, 285–8
susceptibility, 273–85
the way forward, 311–15
Rachel, 218–34, 243, 245–6
rashes see skin rashes
recovery, 151–3, 239, 285–8, 296
redundancy, 277
reflex theory, 82, 84, 116
reflexes, 65, 66, 81–2
reflexology, 84
relationships, abusive, 272–3
respiratory problems, 245
Salpêtrière see Paris: Hospice de la Salpêtrière
schizophrenia, 199
Scott, 163–7, 169
seduction theory, 274
seizures see dissociative seizures; epilepsy
Selective Attention Test, 127–8
sensations
individual perception of, 217–18
loss of, 19
sensory loss, 199–200
blindness, 127–41, 170–5, 188
deafness, 245
sexual abuse and assault, 192, 274–5, 277, 279–80, 284
Shahina, 97–110
Shakespeare, William, 217
Shaun, 111–16, 123–6
shell shock, 282
skin rashes, 176, 245
Slater, Eliot, 150–1
social illness theory, 197–8
sodium amytal interviews, 91–2
somatic symptom disorders
definition, 18–19
and physical disease, 20
transient, 243–5
somatisation, 18
spinal irritation, 81–2, 83, 84, 116
the spleen, and hysteria, 81
startle reactions, 208
Stendhal, 3
the stomach, and hysteria, 81
stress
and disability, 5–6
effect on illnesses, 242–3
and hormones, 196
and ME/CFS sufferers, 242–3
and the nervous system, 194–7
physical expressions, 4–5
and psychosomatic disorders, 6–10, 15, 194–7, 199, 276–80
strokes, 69–70
the subconscious, 141–8, 189, 192, 210
symbolism, 190, 207
sympathy, 79, 195–6
syphilis, 119
tears, 2–3
telepathy, 40–1
thyroid disease, 20
treatment
abreaction, 91–3, 144
historical, 91–3, 121, 153
metallotherapy, 121
see also hypnosis; psychiatry
tremor, 198
triggers
emotion as, 78
and epilepsy, 2, 40
and psychosomatic disorders, 187, 190–1, 192, 197, 276–80
and seizures, 40, 120
urinary problems, 25–6, 34–5
the uterus, and hysteria, 78, 81, 84, 177, 281
video-telemetry units, 40–4
vision problems, 183–5, 245
see also blindness
water aversion, 188, 189
Weir Mitchell rest cure, 235
Whytt, Robert, 176
witchcraft, 80
Wittman, Blanche, 116–21
Yvonne, 127–41, 148, 170–5