Hysteria / Dissociative

What Is Hysteria?

Hysteria is a term often used to describe emotionally charged and changed behavior that seems excessive and out of control. When someone responds in a way that seems disproportionately emotional for the situation, they are often described as being “hysterical.”

Causes of Hysteria

Over time, the theories about what causes hysteria have changed. Although they originally focused on the uterus, we now know that the causes of 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 of Hysteria

In 1980, the American Psychological Association (APA) changed the diagnosis of “hysterical neurosis, conversion type” to “conversion disorder.”¹² 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

Symptoms

Symptoms that are considered characteristic of “hysteria” (now an outdated term) include:

Blindness
Emotional outbursts
Hallucinations
Histrionic behavior (being overly dramatic or excitable)
Increased suggestibility

Loss of sensation
Being in a sort of trance
Developing amnesia
Experiencing paralysis
Fainting or passing out (syncope)
Having epileptic-like seizures
Increased pain sensations
Rigid muscles

Treating hysteria

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 are known for effectively treating somatic symptom disorder.

Coping

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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