Hysteria
Hysteria is a type of psychoneurosis often used to describe emotionally charged behavior that seems excessive and out of control where a wide variety of sensory, motor, or psychic disturbances may occur. Now the term hysteria is being replaced with Conversion Disorder. When someone responds in a way that seems disproportionately emotional for the situation, they are often described as being “hysterical.”
Actually, the symptoms of conversion disorder may develop in either sex and may occur in children and elderly people, although they are observed most commonly in early adult life.
Conversion disorder, in its clinically pure form, seems to occur more often among the psychologically and medically naive than among sophisticated persons. The incidence of conversion disorder appears to be diminishing in many areas of the world, probably because of cultural factors such as increasing psychological and medical awareness among the general public.
Symptoms –
Symptoms that are considered characteristic of hysteria include:
• Blindness
• Emotional outbursts
• Hallucinations
• Histrionic behavior (being overly dramatic or excitable)
• Increased suggestibility
• Loss of sensation
Additional symptoms often associated with being in a hysterical state have varied, but include:
• Being in a sort of trance
• Developing amnesia
• Experiencing paralysis
• Fainting or passing out (syncope)
• Having epileptic-like seizures
• Increased pain sensations
• Rigid or spasming muscles
Causes –
The causes of hysteria is both dissociative and somatic disorders are often psychological in nature.
• Dissociative disorders are generally caused by experiencing some type of trauma.This might include being exposed to childhood abuse that is physical, sexual, or emotional. Being in a natural disaster or being involved in combat can also lead to a dissociative disorder.
• Somatic symptom disorder can also be a result of childhood abuse or parental neglect but is also sometimes caused by having extreme anxiety about bodily processes and illness combined with a low threshold for pain.
Diagnosis –
In 1980, the American Psychological Association (APA) changed the diagnosis of “hysterical neurosis, conversion type” to “conversion disorder.” Today, someone might be diagnosed with different types of disorders that were historically known as hysteria, including dissociative and somatic disorders.
▪︎ Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative disorders are psychological disorders that involve an interruption in aspects of consciousness, including those related to identity and memory. Disorders in this category include:
• Dissociative amnesia, which involves forgetting personal information or not being able to recall certain events
• Dissociative fugue, which involves forgetting personal information combined with changing physical locations, sometimes creating a new identity in the process
• Dissociative identity disorder, which involves having two or more distinct personalities, each with no memory of what the other has done
▪︎ Somatic Symptom Disorder
In the DSM-5, symptoms that once existed under the broad umbrella of “hysteria” now fit under what is referred to as somatic symptom disorder.
Somatic symptom disorder involves having a significant focus on physical symptoms such as weakness, pain, or shortness of breath. This preoccupation with symptoms results in significant distress and difficulties with normal functioning. With somatic symptom disorder, the person may or may not have a medical condition.
Treatment –
Treating hysteria-like symptoms associated with dissociative and somatic symptoms disorders typically includes some type of psychotherapy.
Common treatment approaches for these conditions include:
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Mindfulness-based therapy
In some cases, medications may also be used to help reduce symptoms. For example, amitriptyline, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
How to Cope up?
If you or a loved one experience symptoms once associated with hysteria—such as having emotional outbursts, losing sensation, or having hallucinations—seeking the help of a mental health professional is a good step.
In the meantime, here are a few tips to help you better cope:
• Practice mindfulness.
Concentrate on the present instead of focusing on yesterday or tomorrow. This can help you stay grounded.
• Engage in breathing exercises.
Relax your feelings of anxiety by breathing in and out in specific patterns.
• Write in a journal.
Get your feelings out and on paper. Put the sources of your stress in black and white, then let them go.
• Get physically active.
Go for a walk or hike, or take your bike for a ride around the neighborhood. Physical activity helps boost mental health while promoting physical health at the same time.
• Develop a consistent sleep schedule.
Give your body the rest it needs to help it better deal with the symptoms and emotions you are experiencing.
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