Living with a Glitch: My Sister’s Life with Functional Neurological Disorder

What happens when your body stops working, but doctors insist it is all in your mind?

For my sister Emily, this question defined years of frustration, battling what was thought to be anxiety but was in fact a neurological condition called Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). With rising demand for the NHS, Emily’s experience is not unique. A concerning number of people are being misdiagnosed, exposing a pattern of real symptoms being dismissed as psychological.

My sister, Emily, was diagnosed with FND at the age of twenty-three. She struggles with basic tasks like showering and standing for long periods of time. FND is a neurological condition that affects the nervous system, further impacting vision and motor symptoms. It can cause seizures, which for Emily result in pain and loss of muscle function in her spine and legs. When Emily walks, pain radiates down her spine, and her feet bend inward. Essentially, Emily’s ‘software’ has a glitch. Her body is in pain, even when there is no trauma.

At fifteen, Emily went to her GP in Gosport, complaining of low mood and exhaustion. She expressed to the GP that she was having strange muscle spasms she couldn’t control. She was prescribed hefty doses of anti-depression medication.

At seventeen, she went back to report her legs were feeling heavy, and the pain was making her shake. She was given anxiety medication and told that this would control her shaking.

At nineteen, she returned when her ankle started locking in unnatural positions.

When she was twenty, the uncontrollable movements got worse. The GP did not investigate her prior history, and this time, sent her away without any testing.

Now, at twenty-three, Emily must navigate the debilitating effects of her illness, living in a 2nd floor flat with no lift to access her own home. She cannot simply enjoy the sunshine as she did six months ago. Over the last few months, Emily’s health has rapidly declined. She has continually pleaded with doctors to finally assess and diagnose her symptoms.

It’s hard to think of someone deliberately ignoring my sister, as I know this isn’t the case, but there is a sense of neglect present in this story. It is important to note here that mental stressors can trigger FND, but it is not a direct
sign of mental illness. In Emily’s case, her FND was misdiagnosed as an anxiety and depressive disorder for many years. In 2025, Emily finally received an MRI scan to rule out other conditions that could be causing her symptoms. This was when she was finally diagnosed with FND.

It was hard for Emily and everyone involved to come to grips with a disorder that cannot be cured. To consider that she may not be able to ever walk unaided again. For my family, it’s the frustration of knowing something was wrong, even when doctors did not.

“Keep going, get checked and don’t listen to those dismissing you. Always get a second opinion,” Emily stresses to anyone struggling.

Since the diagnosis, Emily cannot put weight on her legs and relies on her wheelchair for her independence. She must be helped down the stairs and rolled into a wheelchair at the other end. The whole experience is mentally and physically draining for her and our family. Emily hates the way people look at her struggling, as if they are trying to work out what is wrong and why she has a wheelchair. Clair, our mother, expresses “she’s now a prisoner in her flat” and “as a mother, I’m powerless to help.”

Hampshire County Council’s disability friendly housing wait list can vary from a few months to years. This is due to factors such as property shortage, high demand and priority groups. The council first needs to assess her situation to check how eligible she is, and then she can join the main waiting list. The whole journey is tedious, but
it is vital to give Emily the freedom she deserves.

Life may be different for Emily now, but she stays busy by teaching herself new crocheting techniques and crafting projects. There is a lot that can be learnt from my sister. I have watched her struggle throughout her life, but a sense of resilience has always been present. She rolls with the punches and keeps her spirits high. On Friday evenings, she can normally be spotted in our local pub with our parents, enjoying her favourite dark fruit cider and winning a game of pool, even from her wheelchair.

Emily wants to assure anyone struggling with any disability, mental or physical, “It’s going to get better, don’t quit. It will feel hard, but it will get better.”

Source: Emily Targett