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On constructing the disorder of hysteria
1Department of Philosophy, S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook, 11794.
The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy
|June 1, 1994
Summary
Hysteria, once linked to a wandering uterus, evolved through medical history. By the late 19th century, its diagnosis targeted women's nonconforming behavior, before vanishing from psychiatric classifications in the early 20th century.
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Psychiatry
- Women's Health
Background:
- The concept of hysteria has a long history, originating with Hippocrates and evolving through figures like Galen and Freud.
- Historically, hysteria was attributed to a wandering uterus, reflecting ancient medical understandings of female physiology.
Observation:
- From ancient Greece to the late 19th century, the diagnosis of hysteria served a social control function.
- Hysteria diagnoses were disproportionately applied to women exhibiting nonconforming or emotionally expressive behaviors, mirroring patterns seen in witchcraft persecutions.
Findings:
- The definition and application of hysteria diagnoses in medicine paralleled the social suppression of women's conduct.
- By the early 20th century, the diagnostic category of hysteria significantly declined and largely disappeared from psychiatric nosologies.
Implications:
- Understanding the historical trajectory of hysteria reveals evolving societal attitudes towards women's health and behavior.
- The decline of hysteria as a diagnosis signifies a shift in psychiatric classification and a potential move away from pathologizing women's conduct.