Explaining The History Of Female Hysteria

Emilie Williams

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The misdiagnosis of women’s health issues is not a modern dilemma. It is rooted in the complex and long history of female hysteria.

This diagnosis reflects prevailing cultural ideas and the role of medical sexism in punishing women who refused to conform. So, what exactly was female hysteria? How did it reflect societal beliefs? Why does it still matter today?

What is female hysteria?

Hysteria was an erroneous medical label, assigned to women across different historical periods. Today, the word ‘hysteria’ commonly describes exaggerated emotions or excitement. But the symptoms and diagnosis of female hysteria remains elusive and fluid, evolving and changing over its history.

The disorder underwent multiple interpretations and definitions over time. Scholars and physicians like Charles Lasègue characterised the diagnosis as “the wastepaper basked of otherwise unemployed medical symptoms”. Essentially, doctors assigned the diagnosis to women when they could not clearly identify the root cause of their symptoms. Modern science has identified some cases of ‘female hysteria’ to be medical conditions like epilepsy or mental health conditions, such as dissociative disorders.

“the historical version of blaming a woman’s behaviour on her period”

Symptoms associated with hysteria covered a wide range, including chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, yawning, anxiety, sexual desire, insomnia, irritability, tears, and laughter. These diverse manifestations were inexplicably linked to the presence of the uterus, which society deemed problematic and volatile. It was assumed that the uterus made women prone to excessive emotion – the historical version of blaming a woman’s behaviour on her period.

Ancient beliefs and early notions 

The term ‘hysteria’ finds its origins in Ancient Greece, where the renowned Greek physician Hippocrates proposed a rather odd theory. He suggested the womb (‘hystera’ in Greek) caused physical and mental symptoms as it roamed around the body and became lodged in various places.

“a sad, bad, or melancholic uterus”

Hippocrates’ theory of the detached womb became an established concept, highlighting the perceived troublesome and stubborn nature of the uterus.

Although not everyone believed in the wandering uterus, scientists and philosophers adapted the idea that the womb caused unusual behaviour in women. Plato and Aristotle blamed a lack of sexual activity and said suffering women had a sad, bad, or melancholic uterus. Meanwhile, The Romans believed female hysteria was caused by a disease of the womb or a disruption in reproduction.

These concepts formed the basis of how the West understood hysteria for hundreds of years.

Witches in the Early Modern Period

Remarkably, early descriptions of hysteria bore a striking resemblance to the signs of witchcraft and demonic possession. The influences of early Christianity meant human suffering was believed to be derived from someone being sinful inside. Female hysteria was often understood to be the result of satanic possession. These theories circulated during the witch trials which spanned from 1400 to 1782.

One noteworthy publication from this era was the Malleus Maleficarum, written by Heinrich Kramer and published in 1486. The book suggests women who did not submit to ideals about obedient Christian wives and mothers were in league with the devil. This text was instrumental in identifying the signs of witchcraft, and intriguingly, many of these signs closely paralleled those associated with hysteria.

Anxieties about witchcraft and demonic possession centred around matters of moral and spiritual purity, making women the scapegoats of these concerns.

Take The Witch of Edmonton, for example, a play from 1621 that emerged in response to the prevailing witchcraft scares. The character of Elizabeth Sawyer embodies the sensationalised image of a witch, encapsulating the fears and biases of the time.

The medicalisation of hysteria

During the Enlightenment, when science and reason gained prominence, medical theories began replacing religious explanations.

One notable figure from this era, physician Thomas Sydenham, linked hysteria to the nervous system. Instead of a physical condition, stemming from the womb, he believed it was an emotional problem. He held the belief that women were more susceptible to this ‘disease’ due to their less ‘robust habit of body’. He asserted that hysteria afflicted the weak, the sick, and the poor.

“The ‘rest cure‘…encapsulates the prevailing attitudes towards hysteria”

During this era, a neurological model of hysteria was developed and cemented the conception of hysteria as a mental disorder. It was no longer blamed on the uterus, although women’s biology was believed to be a risk factor in developing hysteria.

Victorian attitudes towards female hysteria

The Victorian era witnessed increasingly confined and repressive social expectations for women. This environment greatly influenced the perception of hysteria. The ‘rest cure‘, a prevailing approach during this period, encapsulates the prevailing attitudes towards hysteria. However, it worsened the conditions of many women and several died from the complications of being restricted to bed.

Physician Silas Weir Mitchell championed the rest cure prescription, advocating ample rest and limited physical movement. He believed this would assist the female body in recovering from what was believed to be pent-up energy, causing hysteria. Writers Virginia Woolf and Charlotte Perkins Gilman were subjected to the rest cure, both of whom were openly critical of in their writing.

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Physicians of the time associated hysteria with qualities such as rebelliousness, ambition, and outspokenness. These traits would later find a powerful resonance with the suffragette movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Freud’s psychoanalytic perspective

Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud introduced a fresh interpretation of hysteria in the 1800s. It delved into the conscious and unconscious aspects of the human mind. Freud believed physical symptoms stemming from mental trauma manifest as hysteria, which isn’t limited to the female experience or body. He links hysteria to being a victim of childhood sexual abuse. Although, he later changed his theory, saying the abuse was imagined because of repressed desires.

“The rise of hysteria in men caused doctors to reconsider how they treated the condition”

The psychoanalytic perspective gained prominence, particularly during World War I when returning soldiers exhibited symptoms akin to hysteria, diagnosed as ‘shell shock.’ Later, this would be reclassified as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The rise of hysteria in men caused doctors to reconsider how they treated the condition, including the use of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT).

Why did the medical community abandon the diagnosis?

The removal of the hysteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) didn’t occur until 1980. The DSM serves as an authoritative guide for mental disorder diagnosis among healthcare professionals in the United States.

While the specific reason for its exclusion in this edition remains unclear, several factors contributed to its removal. According to a 2012 evaluation of the history of hysteria, several 20th-century studies suggested a decline in hysteria among Western patients.

The article underscores new emphasis on studying environmental factors in psychopathology. This led to mood disorders becoming a preferred diagnosis over hysteria. 

How is the history of female hysteria relevant today?

In the ongoing journey towards recognising and respecting female reproductive rights and health, it’s essential to reflect on the history of female hysteria. This history sheds light on the persistent invalidation of women’s pain and concerns, a challenge that still affects many today.

Interestingly, some aspects of women’s health today bear a resemblance to the era of hysteria. For example, healthcare providers often prescribe quick fixes like birth control pills or weight loss advice for issues such as painful or heavy periods, hormone imbalances, and fatigue, without delving into the root causes.

“The long-standing diagnosis of hysteria reminds us how deep-rooted medical sexism is.”

It’s also important to acknowledge the profound intersection of racism and sexism that permeated female hysteria’s diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis was not uniform for all women, leading to disparate experiences and outcomes for different groups of women. Prejudice about the perceived emotional and intellectual inferiority of non-white individuals influenced professionals in their interpretation of the symptoms.

Throughout its long and complex history, female hysteria highlights how society has long viewed the female body, especially the uterus, and mind as problematic. Societal norms and cultural ideas have shaped medical practices and understanding.

The long-standing diagnosis of hysteria reminds us how deep-rooted medical sexism is. We must continuously challenge and improve our understanding of women’s health.

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• A HISTORY OF THE SANDWICH: BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE FOOD

• “DON’T GOOGLE IT!”: HOW HEADLINES FUEL HEALTH ANXIETY

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