Thread by @sulmoney

For this weeks #WTFWednesdays, let's jump into #hysteria

1/ The concept of "hysteria" has a long and troubled history in psychiatry. It dates back to ancient Greece and was initially used to describe a wide range of physical and mental symptoms in women.

2/ "Hysteria" comes from the Greek word "hystera," meaning uterus, reflecting the historical belief that women's mental & physical symptoms were related to the uterus and its movements. This belief led to the notion that women's symptoms could be "cured" by removing the uterus.

3/ Over the centuries, the diagnosis of hysteria was used to blame women for their own suffering and pathologize normal emotions and behaviors. This led to a widespread belief that women were inherently unstable and prone to mental illness.

4/ During the 19th century, the diagnosis of hysteria became popular in European and American psychiatry and was used to explain a wide range of symptoms, including nervousness, fainting, and sexual disturbances.

5/ The concept of hysteria became so prevalent that it was included in the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1952 and remained in subsequent editions until 1980 (!!!), when it was finally removed from the manual.

6/ Unfortunately, the diagnosis of hysteria was often used to justify inhumane treatments, such as institutionalization, lobotomies, and the administration of drugs such as insulin shock therapy and electroconvulsive therapy.

7/ Despite its removal from the DSM, the legacy of hysteria continues to have an impact on the way that women's mental health is viewed & treated in our society today. It is appalling to think about the harm that has been done to women under the guise of "treating" hysteria.

Follow along for more #WTF moments in the history of psychiatry and mental health!

#HysteriaHistory #PsychiatryFail #MisogynyInMedicine #WomenInHistory #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness
#MentalHealth #History #MentalHealthHistory