Withhysteriaand its symptoms, learn more
Hysteria is a type of mental disorder where the afflicted person experiences physical problems without any actual injury to their body. This condition arises from psychological causes present in the individual’s past. Treatment requires psychotherapy, which is a key part of health and wellness.SelMagzYou will learn more about hysteria.
What is hysteria?
Hysteria is a term used to describe intense emotional states, but it is also a common medical diagnosis. In layman’s terms, hysteria often describes an individual’s emotional behaviors that seem to be uncontrolled.
When a person behaves inappropriately emotional during a specific situation, they are referred to as hysterical. In the Victorian era, this term was applied to women who exhibited a range of symptoms that were more common in females.
Nowadays, those with emotional symptoms may be diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder or functional neurological symptom disorder. Hysteria can also refer to situations where an individual experiences physical states based on psychological issues.
The history of hysteria
This concept originates from an ancient psychological term that examined symptoms attributed to the movement of the female uterus across various parts of the body. Ancient thinkers believed that a woman’s uterus could move freely within the body, causing various symptoms and pains depending on its movement.
By the late 18th century, hysteria was considered a mental disorder. A French neurologist began usinghypnosisto treat women suffering from this condition. The mysterious nature of hysteria played a significant role in the early development of psychoanalysis.
A famous Austrian psychoanalyst, familiar with the methods of great psychoanalysts, discovered while helping a young woman with mild hysteria that simply discussing her issues and stressors had a profoundly positive effect on her mental health, a practice now known as talk therapy.
In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association reclassified “emotionally convertible mental disorder” as “conversion disorder or functional neurological symptom disorder.”
Today, hysteria may not be regarded as a psychological diagnosis; rather, it is an example of how concepts evolve, shift, and replace one another, leading to greater understanding of human behavior and thought.
Examples of disorders that were previously classified as hysteria:
Contemporary psychology has identified various disorders that were once categorized as hysteria, including:
- Dissociative identity disorder
- Functional neurological symptom disorder
- Dissociative disorders
Dissociative disorders:
These are psychiatric disorders that create a split or disconnection within a person’s mind affecting their awareness, identity, and memories. Such disorders may include dissociative fugue (a type of amnesia where the individual cannot recall their past or identity), dissociative identity disorder (being multiple personalities), and dissociative amnesia (where significant life events are forgotten, often due to severe emotional trauma).
Functional neurological symptom disorder:
In the recent DSM update, symptoms are now classified under functional neurological symptom disorder, previously known as hysteria. Several related conditions are included:
- Illness anxiety disorderAnxiety disorders
- Conversion disorder (e.g., blindness, paralysis, etc.)
- Psychological factors affecting medical conditions and health
- Somatic symptom disorder (when an individual convinces themselves they are ill)Psychiatric illnessthese types of conditions
- Other unspecified physical symptoms and disorders
Functional neurological symptom disorder: Focuses on physical symptoms such as weakness, pain, or shortness of breath.
These symptoms lead tostressand difficulties in performing daily activities, and it’s important to note that this disorder does not imply faking illness; whether the person is ill or not, they genuinely believe they are unwell.
Symptoms of hysteria
As we will discuss further in SelMagz, symptoms of hysteria include paralysis in parts of the body, hallucinations, and anxiety. Other less common symptoms may include:
- Numbness in limbs
- Tingling sensations
- Pixilation (also known as paresthesia)
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety
- Fainting
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Confusion
Causes of hysteria
Individuals affected often have deep psychological conflicts. The causes of this condition are very complex and relate to the person’s circumstances and psychological conflicts. There is no defect or disturbance in the nervous system that justifies paralysis or blindness, and no improvement occurs with medical intervention.
Patients struggle to express their deep emotions and instead exhibit their internal conflicts and rage through physical symptoms. They may show no distress or stress symptoms about a painful issue and often repress their anxiety, but their emotions can manifest as leg paralysis.
Increased susceptibility to hysteria with excessive chocolate consumption
Excessive eating of chocolate can be dangerous for women, increasing the risk of hysteria. Just as consuming too much chocolate is harmful, not consuming it can also trigger symptoms of this condition.ChocolateExcessive intake of chocolate can lead to symptoms of this condition.
Difference between hysteria and malingering
Hysteria is different from malingering (faking an illness) because the hysterical person genuinely mimics illness symptoms without intent, while the malingerer imitates illness for various reasons.
Hysteria is more common in young women
Hysteria is a type of neurological disorder with physical and psychological symptoms that are twice as prevalent in women as in men. Women with hysteria are often extroverted and attention-seeking, while men tend to be introverted and unsociable.
This disorder can occur at all ages, from childhood to old age, with the onset often in adolescence or early adulthood; it is rare before age 10 and after age 35. The disorder is more frequently seen among the uneducated and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as rural residents and military individuals.
Treatment of hysteria
Hypnosis
Hypnosis was one of the first treatments used for this condition, but over time, this treatment evolved.
Stress management
Hysteria is unconsciously very connected with stress and anxiety, intensifying due to psychological tension. Many affected individuals struggle to manage and reduce their stress, which is why they should seek professional treatment for their condition.
Psychoanalysis
In psychoanalytic treatment, the analyst explores the individual’s past, and through psychotherapy, the symptoms and signs are alleviated. The best psychotherapy technique for such individuals includes the use of analytical techniques, where the patient’s behaviors and responses are recorded and later analyzed with the psychologist.
Medication therapy
The hysterical personality disorder, like other psychological disorders, should also be examined and treated through psychotherapy before any medication is prescribed. If psychological treatment does not address the individual’s issues and coexists with other mental disorders like anxiety, mania, or depression, the doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety andantidepressantsto help manage the individual’s distressing behaviors.
Other treatments
Other treatments such as schema therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are also used to alleviate symptoms and signs.
