It
is a neurotic disorder characterized by a wide variety of somatic and mental
symptoms resulting from dissociation, typically beginning during adolescence or
early adulthood and occurring more commonly in women than men.
Hysteria, in its colloquial use, describes unmanageable emotional excesses. People who are "hysterical" often lose self-control due to an overwhelming fear that may be caused by multiple events in one's past that involved some sort of severe conflict; the fear can be centered on a body part or, most commonly, on an imagined problem with that body part.
Hysteria can be described as a type of psychoneurosis (minor mental health problem) causing emotional excitability, such as fear or panic, and disturbance of the sensory, motor and psychic functions of humans. It is described as an overwhelming and unmanageable excitable behavior and has no organic basis.
· Past trauma
which could have
brought on a conversion disorder
Symptoms and Signs of Hysteria:
Somatization
disorder is a rare psychological condition where the individual has a long list
of medical complaints but upon examination and investigation, no medical cause
can be attributed to it. Symptoms include various aches, nausea and vomiting,
abdominal pain, sexual complaints like low libido and erectile dysfunction.
Histrionic
personality disorder is one of many personality disorders. People who fall into
this category are socially a success, but a failure at inter-personal
relationships. They tend to dress and be provocative and talk about their
emotions in an exaggerated fashion. They are usually shallow, self-centered and
unhappy when they are not the center of attention.
Some
of the common symptoms are mentioned below:
· Partial paralysis
Symptoms and Signs of Hysteria:
· Partial paralysis
folded backwards. Heaviness
in the limbs
Types of Hysteria:
Conversion
Hysteria:
One type is the conversion disorder, in which a patient usually complains of a physical illness that has no medical cause. The other type is the dissociative disorder, in which the patient experiences interruptions in his memory, consciousness, and his awareness of his surroundings. Both types are said to have a common cause: a repressed or suppressed psychological or emotional experience that manifests itself in a physical manner.
Between the two types of hysteria, the conversion disorder is said to be more common.
Common symptoms include pain and inability to use a body part, such as not being able to lift one’s arms. A specific symptom called “astasia-abasia” refers to the patient’s inability to stand or sit up, but oddly enough, the person can easily move his legs when in a relaxed position, like lying down. In some cases, there is also an inability to use a sensory organ, such as blindness or deafness, or even a predomination of a certain sensation, such as constantly hearing a certain sound. When pain is not involved, partial paralysis or weakness can also be experienced.
One important criterion for diagnosing a conversion disorder is that the patient is not “faking it,” or just making up the pain. He actually feels the pain as real, although medical exams cannot find a proper cause for the pain. The physical symptoms also create difficulties in social and emotional well-being of the patient. Some disorders under conversion hysteria are body dimorphic disorder, hypochondriasis, and pain disorder.
Dissociative
Hysteria:
In the other type of hysteria, the dissociative disorder, the patient has “spells” wherein he does not act like himself and often does not remember the incidents. The DSM Fourth Edition defines four disorders under the dissociative disorder, one of which is dissociative amnesia wherein a person fails to recall certain periods of time and information about her identity such as her address and family relatives. Usually, an object, a word, or a scene would trigger a sudden recall, although complete retrieval of memories might not happen.
One type is the conversion disorder, in which a patient usually complains of a physical illness that has no medical cause. The other type is the dissociative disorder, in which the patient experiences interruptions in his memory, consciousness, and his awareness of his surroundings. Both types are said to have a common cause: a repressed or suppressed psychological or emotional experience that manifests itself in a physical manner.
Between the two types of hysteria, the conversion disorder is said to be more common.
Common symptoms include pain and inability to use a body part, such as not being able to lift one’s arms. A specific symptom called “astasia-abasia” refers to the patient’s inability to stand or sit up, but oddly enough, the person can easily move his legs when in a relaxed position, like lying down. In some cases, there is also an inability to use a sensory organ, such as blindness or deafness, or even a predomination of a certain sensation, such as constantly hearing a certain sound. When pain is not involved, partial paralysis or weakness can also be experienced.
One important criterion for diagnosing a conversion disorder is that the patient is not “faking it,” or just making up the pain. He actually feels the pain as real, although medical exams cannot find a proper cause for the pain. The physical symptoms also create difficulties in social and emotional well-being of the patient. Some disorders under conversion hysteria are body dimorphic disorder, hypochondriasis, and pain disorder.
In the other type of hysteria, the dissociative disorder, the patient has “spells” wherein he does not act like himself and often does not remember the incidents. The DSM Fourth Edition defines four disorders under the dissociative disorder, one of which is dissociative amnesia wherein a person fails to recall certain periods of time and information about her identity such as her address and family relatives. Usually, an object, a word, or a scene would trigger a sudden recall, although complete retrieval of memories might not happen.
The physician will take a thorough history of the symptoms causing concern to the person after which there will be a thorough examination. Investigations may be advised if a certain problem is suspected. If the examination and investigations are inconclusive, the physician may recommend a consultation with a psychiatrist or psychologist for further evaluation.
Some might feel that because there is no abnormal finding, the patient is faking it to just draw attention. But it is important to understand that the patient is disturbed, and wants the problem to go away.
· Routine investigations like blood, urine and stool tests as well as X-rays.
Conventional therapy offers little to treat those with hysteria. Drugs like antidepressants or anxiolytics can be tried if depression or anxiety co-exists. Painkillers for symptoms of backache, body-ache, headache etc. can be given for a short time.
Psychotherapy is useful in encouraging the person to go through life daily with a positive attitude. Once the person develops coping strategies, his mind will stop converting the mental disturbance into a physical symptom, which is seen in somatization disorder.
Psychotherapy consists of a series of techniques for treating mental health, emotional and some psychiatric disorders. Psychotherapy helps the patient understand what helps them feel positive or anxious, as well as accepting their strong and weak points. If people can identify their feelings and ways of thinking they become better at coping with difficult situations.
Hypnotherapy for Hysteria:
The term "hypnosis" comes from the Greek word Hypnos, meaning "sleep." Hypnotherapists use exercises that bring about deep relaxation and an altered state of consciousness, also known as a trance. A person in a deeply focused state is unusually responsive to an idea or image, but this does not mean that a hypnotist can control the person's mind and free will. On the contrary, hypnosis can actually teach people how to master their own states of awareness. By doing so they can affect their own bodily functions and psychological responses.
Hypnotherapy is a kind of psychotherapy. Hypnotherapy aims to re-programmed patterns of behavior within the mind, enabling irrational fears, phobias, negative thoughts and suppressed emotions to be overcome.
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