Functional disorders are conditions that make everyday life difficult for many people, and can be sign as a disorder of both the body and the mind. While the exact cause of functional disorders is unknown, researchers generally agree that there are many factors that can bring about a functional disorder. The majority of functional disorders are caused by some combination of the following:
• Heredity
• Stress
• Emotional conflict
• Fear
• Ineffective coping skills
This usually means that the person affected will have some history of functional disorders in their family, or will have a personal history of not being able to cope with stresses. These genetic factors are typically then triggered by some stressful event, emotional conflict, or something that causes a fearful reaction.