FND as mental disorder : I have finally... - Functional Neurol...

Functional Neurological Disorder - FND Hope

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FND as mental disorder

DogPurple profile image
14 Replies

I have finally figured out why FND is classified as a mental disorder.

We do not start out crazy but the symptoms of this disorder are completely out of this world and unbelievable,

I am now mental because FND is driving me insane. 😱

Makes perfect sense to me now. Excuse my dry sense of humour. 😂 I know it’s Neurological and that’s where it belongs I have had an FMRI and they can tell my brain is broken . More like smashed to bits I would say.

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DogPurple profile image
DogPurple
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14 Replies
Borrow profile image
Borrow

FND was explained to me as being like a computer, the hardware is fine it’s the software that’s wrong, think of a computer virus. Our brains are not communicating to the …….. which causes the problems. We can however try to reroute the communication within the brain but it is not always possible and can take a long long time! 🤗

210272 profile image
210272 in reply to Borrow

I know some people like the computer analogy, Borrow. I find it dehumanising and faintly ridiculous since computers don't have hormones, DNA, blood (or blood pressure fluctuations) etc etc and they certainly don't get medicated or labelled with psychiatric conditions if they malfunction.

Razzle165 profile image
Razzle165 in reply to 210272

Well said, there's not enough information out there describing the BP spikes, heart fluctuations and fibrillations, and all the chemicals being released into the system during seizure/nervous system attacks - not only is this terrifying to go through - it's life threatening and people in the medical field just don't take it seriously enough - it put it mildly!

Borrow profile image
Borrow in reply to Borrow

It’s only an explanation of the core problem, our brains aren’t working correctly! No it doesn’t help in any other way but I find it a simply mantra to myself and others when I am not well/in pain/falling over/getting stressed. Since there is very little understanding of our brains we sadly have to cope until there is😔

210272 profile image
210272

Hi DogPurple,

It has never made sense to me that FN(C)D is in DSM. Here's a quote from Perez;

'Functional neurological disorder (FND), also known as conversion disorder, constitutes individuals with neurological symptoms precipitated and/or perpetuated by maladaptive cognitive, affective, behavioral, psychological, and perceptual processes. As such, FND is a core neuropsychiatric disorder that exists at the intersection of the mind and brain. Furthermore, FND challenges the artificial divide between physical and mental health and can benefit greatly from an interdisciplinary approach across the clinical neurosciences'

If they want to challenge this artificial divide, then putting it in DSM makes no sense at all.

Lady4 profile image
Lady4 in reply to 210272

So in layman's terms he is saying that FND is made by humans by the cross over of mind and brain.

210272 profile image
210272 in reply to Lady4

Sort of but he is making wild claims too because saying people perpetuated their symptoms via their 'maladaptive' whatever is one thing (patient blaming) but he cannot claim that patients precipitated their symptoms via 'maladaptive' whatever because he was not with these patients at onset and neither were his co-authors. It is all highly subjective and judgemental and probably not written by anyone who understands neuro diversity.

Plus the silly tree-with-words image they had on the cover of the edition that paper came out in was in tiny print in the article and most people who rely on screen readers couldn't read it. If they can't even think about access issues like that, they need to go away and do something really useful like (cue heavy British sarcasm) write horoscopes.

MrsBuzzerton profile image
MrsBuzzerton

hi. I’m brand new to this group being diagnosed on 4/5 this was the first thing to make me giggle in weeks. Thanks!

Lady4 profile image
Lady4 in reply to MrsBuzzerton

Hi and welcome. Laughter in the best medicine xx

DogPurple profile image
DogPurple in reply to Lady4

Glad to make you laugh. We need it for sure

DogPurple profile image
DogPurple in reply to Lady4

Yes for sure

Antonia_23 profile image
Antonia_23

What is FMRI and what does it say? What they can see on that?

DogPurple profile image
DogPurple in reply to Antonia_23

FMRI is called a functional mri. Its the same mri machine but they give you tasks to do while in the machine like click a button if you see a mad face and a different button if you see a happy face as an example. I had mine at the NIH when I was in clinical trial for FND in 2022. They can see what part of the brain is misfiring. But what they dont know yet is how to fix it. Thats how they finally it is a brain disorder that falls under neurology instead of just a mental illness as has been thought for years. Thus the reason it has now been added to neurology in the icd 11. These symptoms are not our fault. But my sense of humour was what prompted me to create this post to start with because I have gone insane with this disorder. Its just crazy and so so sad that we cant get the help we need. But doctors just dont know what to do yet. Does this answer your question?

Poseypink profile image
Poseypink

I love this post sooo much! Bingo!

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