A patient has been diagnosed as having blindness related to conversion disorder.She displays indifference regarding the conversion symptom.The nurse states,"I can't understand why the patient doesn't seem more anxious about her symptom." Which explanation from the Clinical Nurse Specialist would enable the nurse to understand the patient's behavior?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Psychoanalytical theory suggests conversion reduces anxiety through production of a physical symptom that is symbolically linked to an underlying conflict.Conversion,not suppression,is the operative defense mechanism in this disorder.Although hospitalization may be meeting some needs,it is likely insufficient to be compensating for the original stressor or conflict that underlies the blindness."Controlling her own anxiety through partial denial" is inherently contradictory because it implies that denial is a conscious act,when it is unconscious.

A Patient Has Been Diagnosed as Having Blindness Related to Conversion