Mass Hysteria: Anxiety and Motor Hysteria, and Resources

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Mass hysteria is the common term used to describe a sociopsychological situation where a group of people all experience similar hysterical symptoms. Also known as collective hysteria, group hysteria or mass psychogenic illness, mass hysteria is most commonly related to medical or religious issues.

There are two main types of mass hysteria
Anxiety hysteria is short lived, typically lasting one day or less. Symptoms may include nausea, dizziness, headache and weakness. Anxiety hysteria usually begins with one person complaining of something like an odd smell in the room or an off taste in a food. Others perceive a threat and begin to exhibit psychosomatic symptoms.

Motor hysteria is characterized by trance-like states, seizure-like movements and uncontrolled outbursts. Motor hysteria takes longer to spread, building slowly during a few days or weeks, but can take significantly longer to subside. Motor hysteria is usually a result of a more severe catalyst such as difficult living conditions.

Mass hysteria is labeled as such when no scientific cause is found, meaning all lab tests and physical exams are normal. The symptoms are ambiguous and spread to others with incredible speed, and then quickly disappear. Although mass hysteria involves physical effects, the term is also commonly used to refer to any mass delusion, in which a group of people become obsessed with irrational beliefs or moral panic.

Many factors contribute to mass hysteria. These include rumors, high level of public stress or excitement, shared cultural beliefs or stereotypes, and the fanning of these factors by the mass media, politicians, the police or the military.

Demographically, cases of mass hysteria are higher in females, children and adolescents as well as in those with greater use of medical services. Mass hysteria is most common in small, close-knit communities, such as schools, workplaces and hospitals.

Mass hysteria has been documented since ancient times, though then it was considered a supernatural phenomenon. Throughout history, mass hysteria has frequently been the cause of widespread rioting and even death, as in the case of the 1692 witch hunts and trials in Salem, Mass.

Other lethal examples include the Dancing Plague of 1518 where a number of people began dancing uncontrollably for days without rest, and eventually died from heart attack, stroke or sheer exhaustion. The Tanganyika laughter epidemic of 1962 was an outbreak of mass hysteria in now-Tanzania. Laughter stemming from one joke spread and thousand of people laughed for more than a year afterward. The laughter accompanied pain, fainting, respiratory problems, rashes and attacks of crying. In 1995, a Hindu worshiper reported that an idol consumed his milk offering. Word of the event spread quickly, and by mid-morning it was being reported that statues in temples all across India were consuming milk. After several days, the incident was found to be baseless and an example of mass hysteria.

A modern example of mass hysteria that can be lethal occurred in 1926, when Hollywood heartthrob, Rudolf Valentino passed away, and 80,000 people showed up for his funeral. Mass hysteria followed with dozens of women committing suicide. A well-documented example of mass hysteria was the Y2K scare that had the entire world waiting on edge for the computer crash on Jan.1, 2000, that never materialized. Even more recently, in 2009, 34 people were sent to the hospital in Texas after they complained about having symptoms when they mistakenly thought they had been exposed to carbon monoxide.

Mass hysteria is best controlled through prevention or very early intervention. If people are aware of the phenomenon and know its features, they will be in a better position to accept that there is no truth to their frightening beliefs or physical symptoms. If mass hysteria does break out, a calm authority figure should give clear and accurate information, repeatedly.

Resources about Mass Hysteria

Nih.gov information about Mass Hysteria

Epidemic Hysteria in Schools: An International and Historical Overview.

Resource by Will

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