What is the Difference Between Conversion Disorder and Hypochondriasis?

Conversion disorder (also called functional neurological symptom disorder) and hypochondriasis (now referred to as illness anxiety disorder) are both somatoform disorders, psychiatric conditions that cause unexplained physical symptoms. However, they differ in their manifestations and characteristics:

Conversion Disorder:

Involves a single symptom related to voluntary motor or sensory functioning.
Symptoms typically do not conform to known anatomic pathways or physiologic mechanisms.
Symptoms are not better explained by another medical or mental condition.
Patients may experience a sudden and severe loss of physical functioning that has no medical explanation.
People with conversion disorder often also experience depression or anxiety disorders.

Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondriasis):

Previously referred to as hypochondriasis.
The person is preoccupied with the fear of having a serious illness.
Patients misinterpret physical symptoms and fixate on the fear of having a life-threatening condition.
They may frequently check themselves for signs of illness and take extreme precautions to avoid it.
Unlike somatic symptom disorder, a person with illness anxiety disorder generally does not experience symptoms.

In summary, conversion disorder is characterized by a sudden and severe loss of physical functioning without a medical explanation, while illness anxiety disorder is characterized by a preoccupation with the fear of having a serious illness and misinterpretation of physical symptoms.

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What is the Difference Between Conversion Disorder and Hypochondriasis?

Comparative Table: Conversion Disorder vs Hypochondriasis

Here is a table comparing conversion disorder (also known as functional neurological symptom disorder) and hypochondriasis (now referred to as illness anxiety disorder):

Feature	Conversion Disorder	Hypochondriasis (Illness Anxiety Disorder)
Symptoms	Involves a single symptom related to voluntary motor or sensory functioning that does not conform to known anatomic pathways or physiologic mechanisms.	Misinterpretation of physical symptoms and fixation on the fear of having a serious illness. Patients have a preoccupation with their symptom(s) for at least six months.
Onset	Onset rarely occurs before age 10 or after 35 years of age.	Prevalence is 2 to 7 percent in the primary care outpatient setting, with no consistent differences with respect to age, sex, or cultural factors.
Prevalence	More common in rural populations, persons of lower socioeconomic status, and those with minimal medical or psychological knowledge.	Highest incidence of complaints occurs in young women of low socioeconomic status, but symptoms are not limited to any specific group.

Please note that the table is based on the information available in the search results. Conversion disorder and hypochondriasis are both considered somatoform disorders, which involve physical symptoms that are not fully explained by a known medical condition.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.