In this podcast, I explore the theme of mass hysteria or mass psychogenic illness. I discuss the triggers, the clinical manifestations, and the management.
I use a global perspective and narrate examples of mass hysteria manifesting in different parts of the world. These included hysterical outbreaks of toxic gas anxiety in schools in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh.
Amongst the relatively contemporary conditions the podcast covers are the Havana syndrome, TikTok tics, and the epidemics of sleeping narrated by Suzanne O’Sullivan’s in her book titled The Sleeping Beauties.
I also discuss the historical background of mass hysteria such as demonic possession in nunneries in Europe, and the mass dancing hysteria described by John Waller in his book titled The Dancing Plague.
The podcast also covers the culture bound syndromes, such as Hwa-Byung - a Korean anger syndrome; Amok - bouts of mass murder in the Malay Peninsula; and Koro - genital retraction in Asia and Africa. Also included are cultural startle syndromes such as the Jumping French Canadians in Maine, and Miryiachit in Siberia.
