FND Moray

25/03/2026

The History of FND – Part 5: Where We Are Now

This is the part we’ve been building towards 💚

🌍 FND today

FND is now:

Recognised by neurologists worldwide
One of the most common reasons people see a neurologist
Supported by growing research and treatment approaches

🧠 What we now understand

FND involves:

Brain network disruption
Nervous system dysregulation
Learned patterns in the brain (that can be unlearned)

🛠 What actually helps

Treatment is no longer about dismissal —
it’s about retraining the brain.

This can include:

Specialist physiotherapy
Occupational therapy
Psychological support (without blame!)
Education about FND
Nervous system regulation techniques

✨ The most important message

👉 FND is real
👉 FND is reversible (for many people, in different ways)
👉 You are not alone in this

💬 Let’s end with this

If you’ve ever been dismissed, misunderstood, or doubted…

This history shows:

👉 It was never because your symptoms weren’t real
👉 It was because understanding took time

🌿 And now? We know better.

25/03/2026

The History of FND – Part 4: The Turning Point

Now we finally arrive at something hopeful… 🌱

🧠 The brain starts to reveal its secrets

With modern technology like:

Functional MRI (fMRI)
Advanced brain imaging
Neurophysiology research

Scientists began to see something incredible:

👉 The brains of people with FND were working differently.

⚡ What they discovered

FND is linked to changes in:

Brain connectivity
Movement control systems
Attention and threat processing
Emotional regulation networks

This means:

👉 The brain is not damaged
👉 But it is not functioning typically

💡 A simple way to think about it

Instead of a “hardware problem” (damage)…
FND is more like a:

👉 Software glitch in the brain

The system is there —
but the signals are getting scrambled.

🙌 This changed everything

FND began to be recognised as:

🧠 A neurological condition
🔄 Involving both brain and body
⚡ Affecting real movement, sensation, and control

💬 What this means for you

Your symptoms are valid
Your brain is not “broken”
Recovery is possible (with the right support)

👉 Coming next: Part 5 — FND today: treatment, hope, and what actually helps.

25/03/2026

The History of FND – Part 3: The Lost Years

Now we enter a frustrating chapter…

A time where medicine advanced rapidly —
but FND was quietly left behind.

🔬 The rise of modern medicine

Throughout the 1900s, huge breakthroughs happened:

Brain scans
Neurology advancements
Better understanding of diseases like epilepsy, MS, Parkinson’s

But there was a problem…

👉 These tools couldn’t “see” FND.

🚫 And what can’t be seen… often gets dismissed

Doctors began focusing on conditions they could:

Measure
Scan
Prove visually

So FND became:

Misdiagnosed
Ignored
Or pushed into mental health categories

😞 What this meant for patients

People with FND were often told:

“All your tests are normal”
“There’s nothing wrong”
“It must be stress or anxiety”

Which led to:

💔 Confusion
💔 Isolation
💔 Self-doubt

🧠 But here’s what was actually happening

The brain was still:

Sending signals incorrectly
Struggling with control and processing
Reacting to stress, trauma, or overload

But without the tools to see it…

👉 Patients carried the burden of proof

✨ Why this matters today

This “lost period” explains why:

Many people still go years without diagnosis
FND can feel invisible
You might question your own experience

💬 Gentle reminder

Just because something doesn’t show up on a scan…
doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

👉 Coming next: Part 4 — The turning point: brain research, new understanding, and the shift toward recognising FND as neurological.

25/03/2026

The History of FND – Part 2: Freud & The Mind-Body Divide

So… we left off in a time where symptoms were misunderstood and blamed on things like the “wandering womb.”

Now we move into the late 1800s…
where things start to shift — but also get complicated.

🧠 Enter Freud & Early Psychology

Sigmund Freud and other early neurologists began studying people with symptoms like:

Non-epileptic seizures
Paralysis without physical injury
Loss of movement or sensation

And for the first time, they said:

👉 “This isn’t fake… something real is happening.”

Which was a BIG step forward.

⚖️ But here’s where things went sideways…

Freud believed these symptoms were caused by:

👉 Unconscious emotional trauma
👉 Repressed memories
👉 Psychological conflict

This led to terms like:

“Conversion disorder”
“Psychosomatic illness”

😕 The unintended damage

Even though Freud meant to validate patients…
the message became:

“It’s psychological” = “It’s not physical”
“It’s emotional” = “You’re causing it”

And once again…

👉 People weren’t fully believed
👉 Patients felt blamed
👉 The body was separated from the brain

💔 The legacy we still feel today

This era is a BIG reason why many people with FND still hear:

“It’s just anxiety”
“You need to calm down”
“Nothing is physically wrong”

When in reality…

🧠 The brain is involved
⚡ The symptoms are real
🔄 The problem is in how signals are processed — not imagined

✨ The important takeaway

Freud helped move the conversation forward…
but also accidentally created a divide between:

🧠 Mind vs Body

And FND sits right in the middle of both.

💬 Reflect for a moment

Have you ever felt like your symptoms were blamed on your emotions?

You’re not alone — and it’s not your fault.

👉 Coming next: Part 3 — The “Lost Years” where FND was neglected, misunderstood, and often ignored by medicine.

25/03/2026

The History of FND – Part 1: From Mystery to Misunderstood

Have you ever been told your symptoms are “all in your head”…
but felt deep down that something real was happening in your body?

You’re not alone — and history shows this has been happening for a very long time.

🕰 Let’s rewind… way back.

Thousands of years ago, in ancient Egypt and Greece, people experienced symptoms we now recognise as Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) — things like:

Seizure-like episodes
Paralysis
Tremors
Loss of speech

But here’s the catch…
👉 Doctors didn’t understand the brain the way we do now.

So they came up with… creative explanations.

🏺 The “Wandering Womb” Theory

Yes, really.

Ancient physicians believed these symptoms were caused by a woman’s uterus moving around the body (we wish we were joking).

This is where the term “hysteria” comes from — and for centuries, it shaped how people were treated.

😔 The Impact?

Symptoms were dismissed
People (especially women) weren’t believed
Physical experiences were blamed on emotions or “weakness”

Sound familiar?

🧠 But here’s the truth we now understand:

FND is a real neurological condition
— where the brain and body are not communicating properly.

Not imagined.
Not fake.
Not “just stress.”

✨ Why this matters

Understanding the history of FND helps explain:

Why so many people still struggle to be believed
Why diagnosis can take so long
Why your experience is valid, even if others don’t understand it yet

💬 Let’s talk

Have you ever had your symptoms misunderstood or dismissed?

You’re safe to share here 💚

👉 Coming next: Part 2 — Freud, psychology, and how FND became even more misunderstood (before things started to change).

16/03/2026

✨ We’re excited to announce the launch of our new Neuro Workshops!

Our upcoming workshop includes three supportive sessions focused on:�🧠 Anxiety�🌿 Stress Management�💭 Managing the feeling of being constantly overwhelmed

These workshops will be facilitated by Mollie and Paula, who we’ll be introduced to you very soon!

Our aim is to create a safe, welcoming space where you can connect with others facing similar challenges, share experiences, and learn practical coping strategies and techniques to support you in everyday life.

👀 Stay tuned as we introduce Paula and share more details about the workshops we have coming up!

15/03/2026

FND Moray – Share Your Experience (Anonymous Options Available)

Many of us have had difficult experiences with appointments, services, or systems that didn’t understand FND or trauma.

We want to start collecting real experiences from members so we can advocate for better, more accessible support.

Because writing can be hard when dealing with FND, seizures, fatigue, brain fog, or trauma, you can share your story in whatever way feels easiest.

You can submit your experience by:

✏️ Filling in a short written form

🎤 Sending a voice note or voice recording

💬 Messaging the admins privately

📧 Sending an email

📸 Sending a photo of notes you’ve written

You only need to answer three simple things:

1️⃣ What service or appointment was involved?

2️⃣ What happened?

3️⃣ How did it affect your FND or wellbeing?

You can remain completely anonymous.

Names and identifying details will always be removed before anything is shared.

These stories will help us:

• Show professionals the real impact of systems on people with FND

• Push for trauma-informed and accessible services

• Build stronger advocacy for our community

You only need to share what feels safe for you. Even a short voice note or a few sentences can make a difference.

Thank you for helping us build something that supports and protects people with FND. 💚

14/03/2026

With FND Awareness Day UK coming up on the 25th of March, we have something incredibly special to share with you all. 🎶

One of our brilliant FND Moray members has poured their heart, soul, and FND experience into a powerful new song.

We all know that music can express what words often can't, especially when it comes to the complex, daily realities of living with Functional Neurological Disorder.

Have a listen, save it to your playlists, and let's get this track the attention it deserves! 💚

🎧 Stream it here:
Https://open.spotify.com/track/4eNKPJqPw9CCQ4lWyaG0MX?si=C6_tXx4nRaiQHzS6fv2dpw

​

Queen McBean, Fabulous Friends · Not drunk, it's called FND · Song · 2025

08/03/2026

Happy International Women’s Day to the incredible women of FND Moray! ✨

​Today is all about celebrating women's strength, and as I reflect on our journey, I am in awe of the resilience in this group.

Living with Functional Neurological Disorder means fighting invisible battles, advocating for ourselves in healthcare settings, and navigating unpredictable symptoms every single day.

Yet, the quiet courage and solidarity you all show is nothing short of inspiring.

​Since the beginning, I have had the privilege of laying the foundation for this community. It has been an absolute honour.

But true empowerment is meant to be shared. That is why today, I am officially passing the baton.

​Moving forward, I will be focusing my efforts entirely on advocacy—fighting for our rights, raising awareness, and demanding better for the FND community on a broader scale.

I am handing the day-to-day community building over to you, the remarkable members of this group.

​I want other women here to experience the profound sense of achievement and empowerment that comes from shaping our space, taking the reins, and supporting one another. We have built a solid foundation together.

Now, it is time for the next step, and I cannot wait to see where you take it. 💙

Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can

Sending you all love and hugs

Claire ###x

​To celebrate today, please tag a woman in this group who has lifted you up recently, or drop a 🌻 in the comments to show your solidarity. Let’s keep lifting each other up!

​

06/03/2026

✨ A Special Friday Dance Takeover! ✨

Deidre finally managed to get me involved!

We took over the space just outside Decora during our monthly coffee meet-up for a very special edition of Deidre’s Friday Dance Live. ☕🎤

While she finally got me taking part, I'm happy to report I still managed to dodge the actual dancing! I stuck as much as I could behind the camera while we dedicated "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey to a truly special lady. It was a lovely moment to share that classic anthem in her honour.

Have a watch of the video below to see our impromptu takeover! 🎥👇

18/02/2026

FND Awareness Day is coming up on the 25th of March 2026.

​Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) affects how the brain and body communicate, yet it often remains misunderstood.

Days like this are vital for shining a light on the reality of living with FND, supporting those affected, and advocating for better care.

​How can you get involved?

​Share this post to spread the word.

​Visit www.fndmoray.co.uk to learn more about the condition and local support.

​Start a conversation to help raise visibility.

​Let's work together to make the invisible visible. 🧠💙

​

13/02/2026

New look, same mission! 💻✨

We are absolutely buzzing to share our brand-new website with you all!

We’ve given the FND Moray site a fresh coat of paint to make it easier for you to find the support and info you need.

Pop over and have a nosey—we’d love to know what you think! 👇

🔗www.fndmoray.co.uk