This Brain Theory is (Literally) Hysterical

Now let us consider hysteria. The word itself came from ancient beliefs about women. As Wikipedia puts it: “The term originates with the Greek medical term, hysterikos. This referred to a medical condition, thought to be particular to women, caused by disturbances of the uterus, hystera in Greek.” (Hysteria, hysterectomy… get it?) You may have […]
Image may contain Comics Book Brochure Advertisement Paper Flyer and Poster

Now let us consider hysteria.

Hysteria_title_adj
The word itself came from ancient beliefs about women. As Wikipedia puts it: "The term originates with the Greek medical term, hysterikos. This referred to a medical condition, thought to be particular to women, caused by disturbances of the uterus, hystera in Greek."

(Hysteria, hysterectomy... get it?)

You may have read about hysteria in Victorian times: Women got cases of it and were promptly sent off to a sanitarium somewhere, often receiving a very special kind of care from their doctors. (In polite terms, their genitals were, well, stimulated. In some cases, it cheered them up. And why not?)

Anyway, now there's a new study suggesting that hysteria is all in your head – and that's OK.

...hysteria may not be imaginary after all. A study in this week's issue of Neurology
adds to a growing body of evidence that real cerebral dysfunction liesbehind the mythic malady–and that distractions may offer a way aroundit.

Hysteria is all in your head [ScienceNOW]