Essential Information for Patient and Family

• Physical or neurological symptoms often have no clear medical cause. Symptoms can be brought about by stress.
• Symptoms usually resolve rapidly (from hours to a few weeks) leaving no permanent damage.

Specific Counselling to Patient and Family

• Acknowledge recent stresses or difficulties (but it is not necessary that patient link stresses to current symptoms).
• Give positive reinforcement for improvement. Try not to reinforce symptoms.
• Advise brief bed rest and relief from stress, then return to usual activities.
• Advise against prolonged rest or withdrawal from activities.
• Consider stress management and structured problem solving.

Medication

• Avoid anxiolytics or sedatives.
• In more chronic cases where depressive symptoms are present, antidepressant medication may be helpful.(paroxetine 20mg per day).

Specialist Consultation

• Consider consultation: if symptoms persist longer than one week.

What a doctor might say to a person with a dissociative disorder