Psychiatric comorbidities in patients with conversion disorder – A longitudinal study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: The word conversion refers to the substitution of a somatic symptom for a repressed idea. The conversion disorder indicates the absence of organic disease or disproportionately small disease compared with the complaint. Methodology: Ninety-six patients of conversion were screened for psychiatric comorbidities and followed up for a period of 6 months. Results: There was significant number of different psychiatric illnesses among the patients and positive correlation also with duration of illness in subsequent follow-ups. Conclusion: Our study highlights the significantly high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in patients of conversion disorder in first and follow-up visits with major depressive disorder being the most common one. The propensity to wait for comorbid psychiatric symptoms in conversion disorder to become florid might be unproductive. Early intervention can forestall progression into potentially chronic psychiatric illness.