A 35-year-old woman hobbles into the office of a physician complaining of a debilitating illness that has robbed her of the use of her left leg and right arm. The physician finds no physical basis for her symptoms. She appears totally unaware that the cause of her symptoms may be psychological. The diagnosis would be:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described suggest conversion disorder, which is characterized by the presence of neurological symptoms without an underlying physical cause. The fact that the patient is unaware that the symptoms may have a psychological basis is also consistent with this diagnosis. Malingering refers to the intentional feigning or exaggeration of symptoms for secondary gain, while factitious disorder involves the deliberate production of symptoms for attention or sympathy. Preoccupation disorder is not a recognized diagnostic category.

A 35-Year-Old Woman Hobbles into the Office of a Physician