Pseudoseizures, Families, and Unspeakable Dilemmas

Fourteen videotaped family interviews of patients with diagnosed pseudoseizures were studied to determine the relationship of the symptoms to unspeakable dilemmas as forced choices imposed by family or social circumstances under conditions that also require the ensuing distress to be hidden. An unsp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychosomatics (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 1998-03, Vol.39 (2), p.144-153
Main Authors: Griffith, James L., Polles, Alexis, Griffith, Melissa E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Conversion Disorder - complications
Factitious Disorders - complications
Family - psychology
Family Health
Family Therapy
Female
Humans
Medical sciences
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Retrospective Studies
Seizures - complications
Seizures - psychology
Seizures - therapy
Somatoform Disorders - complications
Somatoform disorders. Psychosomatics
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Summary:Fourteen videotaped family interviews of patients with diagnosed pseudoseizures were studied to determine the relationship of the symptoms to unspeakable dilemmas as forced choices imposed by family or social circumstances under conditions that also require the ensuing distress to be hidden. An unspeakable dilemma was evident in 13 of 14 interviews, with the patient the most silent family member in 13 interviews. In six cases, there was revealed a realistic threat of physical or sexual assault to a person involved in the problem, although not always the patient. These findings point to an important role for family therapy skills in the evaluation and treatment of pseudoseizures.
ISSN:0033-3182
1545-7206
DOI:10.1016/S0033-3182(98)71361-1