| Noun | 1. | conversion hysteria - a mental disorder characterized by the conversion of mental conflict into somatic forms (into paralysis or anesthesia having no apparent cause) folie, mental disorder, mental disturbance, psychological disorder, disturbance - (psychiatry) a psychological disorder of thought or emotion; a more neutral term than mental illness glove anesthesia - a mental disorder involving loss of sensitivity in the hand and wrist; "since no combination of nerves serve this area a glove anesthesia is clearly psychogenic in origin" |