Skip to main content

What is hysteria, and why were so many women diagnosed with it? - Mark S. Micale

347,467 Views

1,361 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Do you ever feel tired? Overwhelmed? Depressed? Do you have headaches, dizziness, cramps, difficulty breathing? From 300 BCE to the 1900s, if you answered yes to any of these questions and you had a uterus, a doctor would likely diagnose you with hysteria. So, where did this medical diagnosis come from? And why did it persist for so long? Mark S. Micale traces the history of the catch-all term.

A fundamental question underlying the history of hysteria is gender stereotyping in the field of medicine. This problem is not just historical. How can we avoid the tendency and temptation to read stereotypes about women and men- including about femininity and masculinity- into the practice of medicine today?

Sign in to answer question

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Mark S. Micale
  • Director Laura Jayne Hodkin
  • Narrator Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Music Phil Brookes
  • Sound Designer Phil Brookes
  • Vocal Effects Artist Annaliese Broughton
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Produced by Sazia Afrin
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Shannon Odell
  • Script Editor Stephanie Honchell Smith
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

More from Getting Under Our Skin