As the doctor evaluates a possible physical disorder and reassures the person that the symptoms don't indicate a serious underlying disease, the person usually begins to feel better and the symptoms fade. When a psychologically distressing situation has preceded the onset of symptoms, psychotherapy can be particularly effective. Occasionally, conversion symptoms recur frequently and even become chronic. One method is hypnotherapy. The person is hypnotized, and psychologic issues that may be responsible for the symptoms are identified and discussed.
Discussion continues after the hypnosis, when the person is fully alert.
Other methods include narcoanalysis, a procedure similar to hypnosis except that the person is given a sedative to induce a state of semisleep. Behavior modification therapy, including relaxation training, has also been effective for some people. Hypochondriasis Hypochondriasis is a psychiatric disorder in which a person reports physical symptoms and is especially preoccupied with the certainty that these symptoms represent a serious disease. The person's concerns about having a serious disease are often based on a misinterpretation of normal bodily functions. For example, gurgling noises in the abdomen, and sometimes bloating and crampy discomfort, are normal as fluids move through the intestinal tract.