Jay, a young helicopter pilot, was preparing for his first combat experience in Iraq. He was seized with a terrible fear that he might mistakenly cause the death of his own troops through "friendly fire." The day before he was scheduled to leave, Jay suddenly went blind. Because no physical reason for his blindness could be found, Jay's condition was diagnosed as

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sudden onset of blindness with no physical basis is consistent with the symptoms of conversion disorder. The fear of causing harm to one's own troops in combat is also a plausible trigger for such a conversion reaction. Illness anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder would be unlikely as there is a specific triggering event (combat) and a specific symptom (sudden blindness). Dissociative fugue involves amnesia and travel away from home, which is not present in this case.

Jay, a Young Helicopter Pilot, Was Preparing for His First