A young man experiencing bilateral loss of hand sensation following witnessing a traumatic event is most likely suffering from which condition?

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The scenario describes a young man who has experienced bilateral loss of hand sensation after witnessing a traumatic event. This presentation is indicative of conversion disorder, which is characterized by the presence of neurologic symptoms that cannot be explained by medical conditions and often arise following psychological stressors or trauma.

In conversion disorder, symptoms such as loss of sensation, weakness, or movement disorders manifest as a response to psychological conflict rather than through a physical neurological cause. The key component here is the association of the symptom onset with a significant traumatic experience, suggesting that the psychological stress is manifesting in a physical form.

While somatic symptom disorder involves physical symptoms that cause significant distress or impairment, these symptoms are often believed to have a medical cause, even though they may not. Malingering involves the intentional production of false or exaggerated symptoms for external gain, such as avoiding work or obtaining financial compensation. Factitious disorder, on the other hand, involves the intentional production of symptoms for the primary purpose of assuming the role of a patient, without clear external incentives.

In this context, the symptom of hand sensation loss occurring after a trauma is most consistent with conversion disorder, making it the appropriate diagnosis for the young man's condition.

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