Hysteria, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

Hysteria

“I suppose I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person.

But these seemingly fragile people are the strong people really.”

― Tennessee Williams

What is Hysteria?

Hysteria or Conversion disorder is a group of mental disorder characterized by physical symptoms such as paralysis or other nervous system symptoms suggesting medical disorder but where no organic finding is found or known physiological mechanism.

Hysteria or Conversion disorder is a mental condition in which a person has symptoms that cannot be explained by positive medical evaluation.

There is evidence of symptoms linked with psychological factors or conflicts.

Initially some doctors believed that these patient were malingering but towards the end of the 19th century Sigmund Freud believed that the condition is a true psychiatric disease.

It was then known as Hysteria.

The term conversion was used by Freud to indicate that the patient’s symptoms of anxiety has been converted to physical manifestations.

Although most doctors believed that hysteria is seldom seen in the present time, it would appear that there are still many cases of hysteria or conversion disorders even now.

There are particularly high rates of childhood sexual abuse found in the histories of patients who have diagnosed as having conversion disorder.

What are the causes of Hysteria?

Causes:

Hysteria or Conversion disorder patients have symptoms which may result from a psychological conflict.

Symptoms usually happen suddenly after some stressful experience such as a death of a loved one.

The risk of hysteria or conversion disorder may occur if they also have:

a. A medical illness,

b. A dissociative disorder where there is escape from reality

c. A personality disorder where there is inability to manage feelings and behaviors that are expected in certain social situations.

Persons who have hysteria or conversion disorder are not making up their symptoms (malingering).

Some doctors do not believe that this disorder is not a real condition and may tell patients the problem is all in their mind.

But this disorder is a real condition.

It causes a lot of emotional distress in the patient and cannot be switched on and off at will.

The physical findings are thought to be a way by the patient to resolve the emotional conflict that the patient feels inside his body or mind.

A woman who do not believe in being violent may instead feel numbness in her arms after feeling so much anger that she wished to hit somebody who is the source of her anger.

She expresses her anger in the symptom of numbness in her arms instead of allowing herself to think of hitting someone.

What are the symptoms of Hysteria?

Symptoms:

The symptoms of Hysteria or conversion disorder is usually dramatic, vague or exaggerated

The patient may give a complicated history with many diagnoses.

Symptoms of a conversion disorder include the loss of one or more bodily functions, such as:

1. Pseudoneurogical symptoms such as paralysis or blindness

2. Inability to speak

3. Numbness of hands or feet

4. Gastrointestinal - abdominal pain

5. Reproductive - painful menses

6. Psychosocial – impotence, sexual indifference

7. Pain such as back pain or headache

8. Giddiness or dizziness

9. Palpitations

How is the diagnosis of Hysteria made?

Diagnosis:

Diagnostic investigations do not find any physical source for the symptoms.

The doctor will do as usual a physical examination and may order diagnostic tests.

These are to exclude physical causes for the symptom.

Common signs of hysteria or conversion disorder include:

1. A debilitating symptom that begins su

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Sep 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311481320

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

Hysteria,

A

Simple

Guide

To

The Condition,

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2015 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes the Hysteria, Diagnosis, Treatment and Associated Diseases or in vernacular terms

(What You Need to Treat and Cope with Hysteria)

This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Condition) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiolographical account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiolographical account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Conditions into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://ken-med.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 590 amazon kindle books and some into Smashwords.com eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical conditions.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring you the latest information about a condition or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily. I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Hysteria

"I suppose I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge upon hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person.

But these