What is hysteria in psychology?

It is a defensive mental state that the human mind uses during confrontations or difficult situations. It involves emotional disturbances expressed through exaggerated feelings that lack balance, as well as emotional disturbances affecting the sensory and motor nerves. Chronic emotional distress can lead to physical symptoms with no organic cause and may serve as an attempt to escape psychological conflicts or painful situations.

Causes of hysteria:

  1. A frail and weak physical constitution.
  2. Psychological causes confined to low social awareness, which creates a conflict between instincts and social standards.
  3. Frustration and the belief that one is unable to achieve any goal or complete required duties.
  4. Mistakes parents make when raising their children, such as excessive indulgence and overprotection.
  5. Experiencing difficult and pivotal events or situations to such an extent that the person believes they cannot be overcome.

What are the symptoms of hysteria?

Physical symptoms:

  • Temporary blindness.
  • Temporary deafness.
  • Loss of the sense of smell.
  • Loss of the sense of taste.
  • Breathing difficulties.
  • A rapid heartbeat.
  • Stiffness in the body's muscles.
  •  

Psychological symptoms:

  • An inability to control emotions and reactions.
  • Exaggerated behavioral reactions that are disproportionate to the situation.
  • A persistent feeling of distress.
  • An inability to complete tasks and duties.
  •  

What are the types of hysteria?

There are several types of hysteria, including:

1. Memory hysteria:The person experiences memory problems, particularly temporary memory loss. This often occurs after pivotal and traumatic situations or events that prompt the mind to forget them.

2. Schizophrenic hysteria:This is considered one of the most dangerous forms of hysteria because it is associated with psychotic problems that lead the patient to imagine things and people that do not exist. The person may also live through multiple personalities.

3. Contradictory hysteria:This drives the patient to perform contradictory actions or behaviors unconsciously, causing them not to remember doing so when confronted about them.

​​​​​​​4. Conversion hysteria:The patient expresses emotional reactions as physical symptoms, such as a feeling of suffocation or paralysis, although these physical symptoms do not exist in reality.

What is the difference between hallucinations and hysteria?

A hallucination is defined as a disorder that causes a person to sense things that do not exist in reality and that other people do not perceive. Hallucinations take several forms, including auditory hallucinations, which cause the patient to hear nonexistent voices, and visual hallucinations, which involve seeing people or things that do not exist or that others cannot see. Hallucinations have several causes. They may result from mental or psychotic illnesses and disorders, while the use of alcohol and narcotic substances can be considered a major factor in triggering them.

Hysteria, by contrast, is not a mental or intellectual illness but a psychological disorder that appears as physical symptoms, such as loss of sight, or mental symptoms, such as loss of sight. This occurs involuntarily and unconsciously as the patient attempts to escape difficult situations.

Treatment of hysteria:

1. Psychological and neurological diagnostic testing:These diagnostic tests are conducted according to the severity of the symptoms. Diagnosis helps analyze the symptoms of hysteria and determine whether there are any problems involving the brain and nerves.

2. Psychotherapy for the patient:Psychotherapy sessions help the patient understand the root cause of the disorder, contributing to resolving the problem and reducing the severity of symptoms such as anxiety and tension.

3. Psychological counseling for parents and caregivers:It is advisable not to focus care and attention on the patient only during hysterical episodes, because this reinforces the episodes by leading the patient to believe that they are what attract attention.

4. Social and environmental treatment:This involves changing the troubled environmental circumstances in which the patient lives, including mistakes, pressures, and obstacles, so that their condition can improve.

People with hysteria need substantial psychological support because of their constant need to feel cared for rather than ignored. The best way to achieve this is to encourage the patient to attend psychotherapy sessions, especially if they are going through difficult times or believe they are in a bad phase that cannot be overcome. When dealing with them, it is also important to show that you care, remind them of their strengths, avoid criticizing them, and refrain from discussing the negative aspects of their personalities. This can be achieved by surrounding them with love and encouraging them to seek treatment.


Download the Tatmeen app for online psychological and family consultations from the App Store or Google Play. You can also register on the Tatmeen mental-health website to access valuable information and practical tools for strengthening your mental and family well-being.