Hysteria is a complete neurological disease that has its own clinical picture, symptoms and causes. Most often, hysteria affects women than men. This is due to the peculiarities of the female psyche – women by nature are more emotional and more dependent on hormonal levels. Interestingly, such patients are often accused of simplicity, insincerity of feelings during hysteria attacks, although patients actually do not experience the most pleasant symptoms.

Symptoms and signs of hysteria

Symptoms of the disease were attributed for a long time to emotional demonstrative reactions – screams, tears, laughter, as well as paralysis, cramps, deafness, loss of sensation, blindness, increased sexual activity, confusion. The diagnosis of hysteria was popular in medicine of the late XIX – early XX century. Officially, the diagnosis is currently not used in either ICD-10 or DSM-IV. The diagnosis of hysteria broke up into multiple specific diagnoses:

• anxious hysteria;
• dissociative (conversion disorder);
• hysterical personality disorder;
• somatoform disorders.

At the moment, hysteria is understood as a hysterical personality disorder characterized by superficial judgments, self-suggestibility, suggestibility, the desire to attract attention, a tendency to fantasize, mood changes, and theatricality of behavior. The patient also has dissociative or conversion manifestations. With the conversion form, the following symptoms are noted: tremor, paralysis, blindness, seizures, deafness. Narrowing the field of consciousness, accompanied by selective amnesia, is inherent in the dissociative variant. There are also superficial, pronounced personality changes that take the form of a hysterical fugue (flight). Often, the patient’s behavior resembles an imitation of psychosis.

Physiological causes of a seizure in women

Due to an excess of estrogens in the shelter, a reason for a seizure can be:

• prolonged sexual abstinence;
• a certain phase of the menstrual cycle;
• pregnancy;
• menopause;
• chronic alcohol or drug intoxication;
• overstrain of the brain and body languishing from idleness;
• the “excess of coffee” that struck the head or the consequences of a very specific cranial injury;
• stresses both in the family and in the service.

All the problems are not yesterday, but accumulated over the years. And finally, those who found a way out in such desperate, uncontrollable, often public behavior, which brought tremendous relief. A relief that will soon require repetition. So, the sequel “in the next series” is coming. Either depression and even a suicidal attempt to realize what has been accomplished (because not all religions and cultures allow such an “unbridled” behavior). And the movements of the mind-uncontrolled body itself can lead to its death in the same way as during an epileptic seizure.

Hysteria classification

Everyday

Connected with everyday problems, “nothing to wear” or “I’m bored.” The most monosyllabic, predictable state, and with the right reaction – short-term and safe.

Stormy

This is always a high-profile claim “you stole my best years” or “why I still don’t have a fur coat”. This behavior is explained by the desire to spur a non-profit, non-initiative, weak character partner for decisive action. And sometimes it really helps to get a gift without long months of waiting.

Self-affirming

The woman proudly declares “yes, I am a hysterical woman”, but implies “I am a goddess”. It does so not only to test the patience of the partner, but to increase its significance. So she claims that she does not agree to just sympathy, but deserves great love.

Silent

The most unpredictable and dangerous. A muffled voice, an insinuating tone do not bode well. Indeed, it is precisely at such moments that a machine is painted, men’s clothing is cut, and sometimes a frying pan flies to the head. If the partner values ​​the relationship, such conditions cannot be ignored in any case.

Physiological

Often the trigger of female hysteria is chronic fatigue, malnutrition (including during weight loss), lack of time for herself. In such cases, a woman needs moral and physical help, as well as free time, which she can devote to herself.

Revengeful

Such a state is described by the words “nothing happened, everything is fine.” But female behavior suggests the opposite – everything is bad. Manifested by silent sobs, uncontrolled moaning or a demonstration of his helplessness. In this state, a woman is able to have a lover, make a love spell with a psychic, and hire a detective for surveillance. It is better for a man to be “on the alert” and turn to a family therapist.

Sexy

It is not in vain that Freud saw the root causes of female hysteria in sexual dissatisfaction. It erupts in the form of bodily symptoms and inadequately strong emotional reactions. The best way out for a man is to transfer unspent female energy into the family channel so that the woman does not look for discharge on the side.

How is hysteria diagnosed?

As a rule, hysteria manifests itself in a certain group of people. These include people who are characterized by demonstrative behavior, shocking, mild nervous irritability, irritability, egocentrism in behavior and character traits. Also, such patients are usually easily suggestible both from the outside and from the inside. Therefore, even if an attack of hysteria begins in order to attract the attention of others, then in the future, patients will actually experience all the symptoms inherent in this disorder. Symptoms of hysteria are manifested in the following:

• visual impairment. The patient during seizures may develop blindness of one or two eyes on nerve soil. The field of view can be significantly narrowed;
• hearing impairment. Sometimes patients have a partial hearing loss, deafness occurs in only one specific ear;
• speech impairment. In particular, hysterical aphonia can develop, that is, a loss of the ability to speak clearly and loudly, and chanting when the patient begins to pronounce words in letters and syllables;
• traffic violation. During hysterical attacks, the patient may have difficulty moving, he may develop partial paresis or muscle paralysis, as a result of which he cannot stand or make certain movements;
• other violations. The patient may experience pain in the heart, headaches, complaints that he cannot breathe in or out, a lump in the throat and other somatic disorders may appear.

Usually, a certain type of people is located in hysteria, and some stressful situation at work or in the family can become a cause for hysteria. However, hysteria can also develop in people who are subject to excessive care and care from loved ones.

How is the disease treated?

The most important recommendation given to relatives and friends of a person suffering from hysteria is to completely ignore the attacks of hysteria. The fact is that patients are very “fond” of playing hysteria attacks to the public, therefore it is extremely important to take timely measures – just “not notice” the attacks.

Psychotherapy is also used. In particular, psychotherapists work according to the following methods:

• cognitive behavioral therapy;
• supportive psychotherapy;
• family psychotherapy;
• holistic psychotherapy.

In some cases, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and sedatives can be prescribed for treatment, it all depends on the specific symptoms in each individual case.

After treatment: what recommendations do experts give?

After the treatment of hysteria, experts recommend first of all to avoid stress factors: if you have nervous work, then you need to change your occupation, if stress arises from a relationship with a loved one, then you need to reduce such communication to a minimum. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and passion for your favorite hobbies is also of considerable importance. It is recommended that you periodically visit a psychotherapist to assess the condition and possible correction of therapy, if necessary.