FND Myths & Misunderstandings

Myth: FND is only diagnosed after everything else is ruled out.

Fact: FND is a positive diagnosis. Clinicians look for specific neurological signs, like Hoover’s sign or tremor entrainment, that confirm the diagnosis. It is not “we ruled everything out,” it is “we found clear signs of FND.”

Myth: FND can’t occur alongside other disorders.

Fact: Many people with FND also live with conditions like epilepsy, migraines, MS, or Parkinson’s disease. Having another neurological condition can actually increase the likelihood of developing FND.

Myth: The symptoms are too strange to be neurological.

Fact: FND is not inherently more unusual than other neurological conditions. Many brain disorders have unusual presentations. FND symptoms simply follow a pattern specific to the condition.

Myth: Seizures, paralysis, and speech issues must come from separate causes.

Fact: Even though seizures, paralysis, speech issues, gait changes, and sensory symptoms look different, they share common brain-function pathways. This is also why people with FND often experience fatigue, pain, or cognitive overload.

Myth: People with FND are choosing what is happening.

Fact: FND symptoms are involuntary. The person is not choosing or creating the symptoms. Decades of neurological research confirm this, including brain imaging, recovery patterns, and cross-cultural data.

Myth: Testing is unnecessary once FND is considered.

Fact: Investigations still matter. Other neurological conditions are a known risk factor for FND. Some tests can even help confirm FND through positive findings, not exclusion.

Myth: Labeling symptoms as FND is always safer.

Fact: Misdiagnosis in any direction is harmful. Missing FND delays treatment for a treatable condition, and mislabeling another condition as FND can cause its own problems. Both deserve careful evaluation.

Myth: FND is only caused by stress or trauma.

Fact: FND is a disorder of brain functioning, not a psychological diagnosis. Psychological factors may contribute for some people, but not everyone. It is one risk factor among many, not the cause.

Myth: FND is short-term and easily resolved.

Fact: Recovery varies widely. Some people experience full recovery, while others live with long-term symptoms. FND can be as disabling as other neurological conditions and requires proper support, pacing, and care.

Myth: Therapy is the only option.

Fact: FND treatment is multidisciplinary. Education, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nervous-system-safe approaches, and sometimes psychological support can all help. The best plan is individualized to the person.