Who proposed the concept of 'la belle indifférence'?

Question

Accepted Answer

Freud. **Explanation:**

The correct answer is **Freud**. The term **'la belle indifférence'** (the beautiful indifference) was popularized by **Sigmund Freud** to describe a specific clinical feature of **Conversion Disorder** (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder). It refers to a paradoxical state where a patient shows a surprising lack of concern or anxiety regarding their severe physical symptoms (e.g., sudden paralysis or blindness), which have no organic cause and are rooted in psychological conflict.

**Analysis of Options:**
*   **A. Seligman:** Martin Seligman is known for the theory of **'Learned Helplessness,'** which is a foundational model for understanding the etiology of Depression.
*   **B. Lorenz:** Konrad Lorenz was an ethologist famous for his work on **'Imprinting'** and attachment behaviors in animals.
*   **C. Freud (Correct):** As the father of psychoanalysis, Freud linked 'la belle indifférence' to the "primary gain" of conversion—where the physical symptom reduces the patient's internal anxiety.
*   **D. Bleuler:** Eugen Bleuler is renowned for naming **Schizophrenia** and defining its core symptoms, known as the **'4 As'** (Ambivalence, Autism, Affective flattening, and Association looseness).

**NEET-PG High-Yield Pearls:**
*   **Conversion Disorder:** Now classified in DSM-5 as Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder.
*   **Primary Gain:** Internal relief from anxiety by converting psychological conflict into a physical symptom.
*   **Secondary Gain:** External benefits derived from being sick (e.g., attention, avoiding work).
*   **Clinical Note:** While classically associated with conversion disorder, 'la belle indifférence' is neither pathognomonic nor present in all cases; it can occasionally be seen in patients with organic brain lesions. [Practice more Psychiatry questions on OnCourse]

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