A nurse is caring for a client who states, "When I get in the car to drive to work in the morning, my hands go numb. It is to the point where I can't grip the steering wheel." Which of the following conditions is the client likely experiencing?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Dissociative amnesia. This condition involves memory loss of personal information or past events due to psychological stress or trauma. It does not cause physical symptoms like numbness or an inability to grip the steering wheel. B. Depersonalization/derealization disorder. This disorder causes feelings of detachment from oneself (depersonalization) or the environment (derealization). While distressing, it does not typically result in sensory or motor deficits such as hand numbness. C. Functional neurological symptom disorder. Formerly known as conversion disorder, this condition involves neurological symptoms, such as numbness or paralysis, that cannot be explained by a medical condition. The symptoms are often triggered by psychological stress, such as anxiety related to driving. D. Factitious disorder. Factitious disorder involves deliberately fabricating or inducing symptoms to assume the sick role. In this case, the client is describing involuntary symptoms that appear to have a psychological basis rather than being intentionally produced.