International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis - E-Lib FK UWKS

CONVERSION DISORDERS 165
On examination, it was found that the legs were completely paralysed from the
knee down and that there was only minimal strength from the knee up. Various
neurological tests provided no explanation. Conversion syndrome seemed to be a
reasonable diagnosis. It was explained to the patient that sometimes when a person
is subjected to extreme stress, the tensions and emotions experienced can manifest
themselves by affecting a particular part of the body. It was then suggested that if
such emotions are re-experienced and dealt with, normal function could possibly
be restored to the part of the body affected.
In the second session, during an extremely emotional re-experience of the events
of 9 years previously, the patient moved her foot a few centimeters. This happened
again in the following session. She managed to move her foot intentionally by
thinking back. Subsequently, with the help of post-hypnotic suggestion, the patient
managed to move her foot when she was not in a state of trance.
Gradually she overcame the disability and, after about 6 months, was practically
cured. On follow-up examination 6 months later, it was found that her condition
had in no way deteriorated and she is now able to go for walks of about an hour's
duration.
Treatment by Direct and Indirect Suggestions
Mrs B was 42 years old when she was referred for treatment for a clenched ®st. She
had had the condition for 11 months without intermission. It had ®rst occurred 16
years previously. She had been riding her bike when suddenly, and possibly as a
joke, a truck driver had sounded his horn very loudly. Her reaction had been to grip
the handlebars very tightly and, as a result, both her hands had cramped up. She
had managed to release the handlebars, but thereafter her left hand had remained
cramped for some months. She had subsequently suffered from periods of cramping
of shorter and longer duration. The last, which had occurred 4 years previously, had
lasted for 8 months. Between these periods her hand was completely normal.
Sometimes the clenched ®st relaxed spontaneously, at other times it had to be
treated by a hypnotherapist. However, for the 11 months prior to her referral to our
outpatient clinic, treatment had been entirely unsuccessful.
The patient was married and had four healthy children. She said that she was not
subject to stress or tension, and had no particular problems. She had never been,
nor was she overburdened in any way.
The ®st looked strange, quite unlike the sort of ®st a person would normally
make. The knuckles were sunken rather than protruding. The muscle tone in the
arm was normal, even though it was impossible for the therapist attempting to open
the ®st, to move the ®ngers even by a millimeter. There was some movement, but
only at the knuckle joints. The complaint was limited to the ®ngers i.e. not the
thumb) of her dominant left hand.
The only change in her life due to the handicap was that she could no longer peel
potatoes. She was well able to carry out all her other household chores. Repeated