A Hysterical History
And how it shapes healthcare experiences today
Hello and welcome to the second edition of Hysterical Health!
This week, I’m sharing my thought process behind the name ‘Hysterical Health’ and how the history of hysteria continues to shape our experiences of healthcare today.
You likely recognise the word ‘hysterical’ as a way to describe something funny - but there’s actually a story behind this word: one both fascinating and frustrating.
‘Hysterical’ is defined as suffering from hysteria - or ‘affected by or deriving from wildly, uncontrolled emotion’.
Sounds… gendered, right? And it is.
But to truly understand the sexist origins of hysteria, we need to look back in time.
The History of Hysteria
The words hysteria and hysterical actually come from the Greek and Latin word hystera, meaning uterus.
Side note: we still use the term ‘hysterectomy’ today to refer to the surgical removal of the uterus!
Hysteria was first recorded as a medical condition in 1900 BC. It was a diagnosis used almost exclusively for women - so much so, that it became widely known as ‘female hysteria’.
Hysteria blamed a whole array of symptoms on the uterus. More specifically, the idea that the uterus could move around inside the body. The Greeks quite literally diagnosed women with a ‘wandering womb’ when their behaviour didn’t fit social expectations.
Symptoms of hysteria ranged from physical changes like a swollen abdomen or chest pain to less tangible criteria like ‘excessive’ emotion, increased or decreased sex drive and uncontrollable laughter.
Hysteria was usually diagnosed in virgins, widows, and single or sterile women - AKA the women who didn’t fit neatly into patriarchal structures.
How convenient!
Theories on causes and treatments for hysteria evolved throughout history and these deserve a post of their own because some of them are downright mindboggling. Think venomous vaginas and doctor-induced orgasms and you start to get the picture.
Hysteria Today
It’s important to reflect on the history of hysteria and how it’s shaped our healthcare experiences today. Although hysteria is no longer considered a medical diagnosis, hysterical stigma still exists as an unconscious bias.
The concept that women are ‘excessively’ emotional is systemic and deeply ingrained in our society. Hysterical is a word used to silence and oppress in healthcare. Women are often labelled as emotional, dramatic and anxious when simply trying to advocate for their own care.
Why Hysterical Health?
When I began speaking openly about my health experiences, I noticed a clear pattern across other women’s stories: themes of being dismissed, misdiagnosed and not taken seriously.
So, Hysterical Health was born to push back against the hysterical stigma and provide a platform for the stories that happen behind closed doors.
Hysterical Health is for every woman who:
Was told: ‘it’s normal, don’t worry about it’.
Wasn’t trusted to know their own body.
Believed it was all in their head.
Felt alone in their experiences.
Didn't have the tools to advocate for themselves.
There is one thing the Greeks got right: our reproductive system does have a huge impact on our mental and physical well-being. No, our wombs are not wandering but our hormones are most definitely cycling - and that’s powerful.
What’s next?
Have you ever been made to feel hysterical when advocating for your own care? Share your story with Hysterical Health here:
Want to share your thoughts on hysteria? Paid subscribers have exclusive access to commenting and discussion features.
Know someone who’d enjoy Hysterical Health?
That’s it for now!
Until next time,
Eleanor