A Phenomenology of Functional Neurological Disorder

Functional neurological disorder (FND)—historically associated with hysteria—remains one of the most mysterious and contested conditions in contemporary medicine. Situated at the murky intersection of neurology and psychiatry, it raises urgent questions about the nature of illness, embodiment, and the limits of biomedical explanation. In A Phenomenology of Functional Neurological Disorder, Kevin Aho offers the first sustained phenomenological analysis of FND. Drawing on insights from key figures such as Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Gadamer, and Jaspers, Aho explores how the disorder disrupts the structure of embodiment, unsettles one’s self-perception, and alters the experiences of space and time. Integrating philosophical analysis with first-person accounts, including his own, he reveals the often-overlooked existential dimensions of a condition frequently misunderstood or dismissed. Challenging the entrenched divide between mind and body in establishment medicine, this book advances a new framework for understanding FND—one that has significant implications for philosophy of psychiatry, medical humanities, and clinical practice. By illuminating what it means and what it feels like to live with the disorder, Aho not only deepens our theoretical grasp of illness but also calls for more humane and responsive forms of care. This timely and original work will be essential reading for scholars and students of phenomenology, philosophy of medicine, and psychiatry, as well as for clinicians seeking a richer understanding of patient experience.