Functional Neurological Disorder/Conversion Disorder

Stigma can have a devastating impact on a person’s life, especially when that stigma is related to health conditions & disabilities that a person is living with.
Can you imagine needing medical attention but being too apprehensive to seek it? This is the sad reality for many people who face health based stigma on a regular basis. In 2020 FND Hope & affiliates conducted a survey which looked into the impact the stigma associated with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) can have on people living with this debilitating condition. The survey revealed that, because of the stigma towards FND, only 13% of people living with this condition felt comfortable seeking medical care if needed in the future. The remaining 87% were either reluctant to seek medical care, or were unsure how they felt about seeking medical care, in the future because of the stigma attached to FND. Nobody should have to face the impact of stigma or be made to feel uncomfortable in any way about any aspect of themselves. And everybody should feel uncomfortable about seeking medical care if they need it.
@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth #MightyTogether

When you have a health issue, regardless of what it is, the very least that you expect from your medical professional(s) is RESPECT. Unfortunately, for many people living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) this most basic politeness is often not given by their doctors & other medical professionals. Nobody should ever feel disrespected by anyone, least of all by medical professionals that they have went to visit because they have concerns about their health. Sadly, according to FND Hope’s, 2020, ‘Stigma Study’, a devastating 85% of people living with FND felt disrespected when visiting a medical professional. This is why raising awareness of FND, particularly amongst medical professionals, is so important.
@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #ChronicIllness #MentalHealth

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a debilitating condition that causes a wide variety of symptoms. The symptoms of FND range from chronic pain, fatigue & speech difficulties to visual impairment, functional seizures & paralysis. Although there are lots of similarities in the symptoms that a person experiences, the variety of the symptoms & the severity of those symptoms differ greatly from one person to another. They can also change from one day to the next which makes this condition even harder to live with & brings ever changing challenges to be overcome.

@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain

Like many chronic health conditions, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a difficult condition to explain to people. I like to use the ‘Smartphone Analogy’ because it is usually easier for people to relate to as most people have a smartphone these days.
The Smartphone Analogy:
Imagine that a person is like a smartphone – the hardware of the phone is like the person’s physical body structure; the software/apps on the phone is like the body’s functioning. A person without FND is like a smartphone that is all structurally correct with all the apps functioning properly. A person with FND is like a smartphone that is all structurally correct with software issues and apps that are not functioning properly.
@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is classed as a rare disorder & it can feel very isolating for people living with this debilitating condition. I used to feel like I was the only person on the planet who was living with FND & thought that nobody would ever understand what what I was going through.
Then I discovered that there were a lot more people living with FND & facing similar challenges as I was. Up to almost 1,000,000 people are living with FND across the globe.
So, if you are living with FND, please know that you are not as alone as you may feel! 💪🏻🧡💙
@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #ChronicPain #MightyTogether

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a difficult condition to try to explain and understand. This makes understanding the symptoms of FND even more difficult to explain. One such symptom, and one that I experience myself, is Drop Attacks.
A Drop Attack is basically what it sounds like – you drop to the floor without any warning or obvious reason! It’s not like fainting where you feel unwell then briefly lose consciousness & fall to the floor. In a Drop Attack you simply just drop to the floor for no obvious reason & while still completely conscious & awareness of what is happening. For me, it’s almost like a puppet on strings suddenly having all their supporting strings cut all at once & the puppet collapsing in a heap on the floor. As you can imagine, this is a terrifying symptom that can often cause some painful injuries to the person experiencing them. No matter how many times you experience a Drop Attack it’s not something that you ever get used to, if anything it makes you more concerned about the next one.
@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #dropattacks

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a debilitating condition that causes a wide variety of symptoms. Although there are lots of similarities in the symptoms that a person experiences, the variety of the symptoms & the severity of those symptoms differ greatly from one person to another. This is where ‘FND Bingo’ comes in – it is an interactive way to help to raise awareness of FND as a condition; shows the variety of symptoms associated with it & how these debilitating symptoms are as unique as the individual experiencing them. The original image, now known as the ‘FND Bingo Card’ (created by @functionallyjess), consists of 15 of the more common symptoms of FND – Functional Seizure, Dizziness, Walking Difficulty, Weakness, Dystonia, Migraine, Chronic Pain, Numbness, Memory Issues, Sleep Issues, Functional Tremors, Paralysis, Sensory Issues, Swallowing Issues & Spasms. A sample of 25 of these FND Bingo Cards indicate how common these symptoms are among people living with FND. No matter how FND impacts you, there are people who understand the challenges you face.
🧡💙
@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder

Nobody should ever be made to feel traumatised, especially because of their health or disability. Sadly, however, as with many chronic health conditions & disabilities, stigma is a major factor in the treatment of people living with FND. A study into the stigma towards those of us living with FND showed that 61% of individuals who completed the ‘Stigma Survey’ by FND Hope reported that they had felt TRAUMATISED because of their FND journey, while a further 18% were unsure whether they had felt traumatised or not. Thankfully, there were 21% of people who did not feel traumatised by their experiences, which is great. However this statistic should definitely be much higher than it currently is & that is why raising awareness of this debilitating condition is so important. Together we can help path the way for better acceptance, understanding & treatments for people living with FND. 💪🏻🧡💙

@fndhope @sassyfndlife #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #ChronicIllness #chronicpain #MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety