Conversion disorder can also be considered as a form of "illness behaviour"; i.e., the person uses the symptoms to gain a psychological advantage in social relationships, either by gathering sympathy or by being relieved of burdensome or stressful obligations and withdrawing from emotionally disturbing or threatening situations.
Yes, as my smart young friend Kelsey reminded me, civil disobedience was critical to keeping the issue alive and gathering sympathy.
General Anwar Sadat, Nasser's successor, made a separate peace with Israel in Camp David, gathering western sympathies, but loosing the Egyptian's leadership of the Arab world.
In a visit to the south-west Florida town of Lehigh Acres, where about 1 in 95 homes is in foreclosure, Romney also told a gathering to reserve some sympathy for banks, as well as homeowners.
Fr Alec Mitchell Manchester One can only have sympathy for Justin Welby having to cope with a "fractious gathering of 38 primates" (Report, 13 January).
When Mr. Paul came under fire during the 2010 general election, Mr. McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, called Mr. Paul's wife, Kelley Ashby, to offer sympathy and an invitation to a Republican women's gathering.
We will not forget South Korean children gathering to pray outside our embassy in Seoul or the prayers of sympathy offered at a mosque in Cairo.
I have deep sympathy for parents struggling with picky eaters, especially at food-centered gatherings.
The Ministry of Interior then announced that the gathering at Pearl Roundabout was illegal and that it was only tolerated as a display of sympathy in the wake of recent events.
He had spent the Revolutionary years in exile but was out of sympathy with the irreconcilable émigrés; and since his return, his house in Paris had been a gathering place for the opposition.
Nevertheless, the Tehran gathering may have given Iran's leaders reason for hope that they can muster a sizeable body of sympathy, and votes, for a strategy that, in effect, turns the tables on the West.
