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Witches and Epilepsy in the Middle Ages: Did You Know Female Hysteria Was Once Seen as Demonic Possession?
Over the past few centuries, women’s physical and mental health issues have often been reduced to a single diagnosis: hysteria. The diagnosis established a label that has long troubled women, whether seen as a natural flaw in their gender or as evidence of demonic possession. At that time, society's perception of women was often full of prejudice, causing many women to suffer unnecessary psychological and physical harm. In an era when science was not yet firmly established, the symptoms of many diseases were often linked to mysterious powers or supernatural phenomena.
"Many historians looking back at female hysteria have recognized that its symptoms often simply reflected social and cultural attitudes toward women that were unequal."
In ancient Egypt and Greece, the concept of hysteria was closely related to women's physical health. Doctors believe the woman's uterus is "roaming" inside her body, affecting the function of other organs. This view was quite common in the medical literature of the time, and many treatments were based on this theory. Doctors have tried everything from scent therapy to sexual practices to “treat” women’s so-called symptoms.
"In ancient times, women's suffering was often seen as their own fault, so they could not receive adequate sympathy and treatment."
Over time, people's understanding of female hysteria has evolved. During the Middle Ages, many people associated the condition with demonic possession, especially women who displayed unexplained or incurable symptoms, who were often believed to be cursed or under the influence of the devil, in the absence of any other diagnosis. Marriage and sexual intercourse became a commonly recommended treatment for women's emotional instability.
In the 18th century, the medical community began to turn its attention to the causes of hysteria, which became more widely understood as neurological, and men and women seemed to be susceptible to the disease. French doctor Pierre Pinel believes that more tolerance and compassion are needed in the way these patients are treated. Prior to this, treatment methods were based primarily on observation and ethics, a far cry from modern medical methods.
"Many early medical theories constrained women's behavior and choices, which led to a lack of awareness of their true feelings."
By the 19th century, scholars and doctors began to question previous diagnostic standards. Doctor Jean-Martin Charcot believed that hysteria was a neurological disease that manifested psychosomatic discrimination, subverting previous uterine-centric interpretations. As diagnostic techniques improved, hysteria began to be redefined and gradually replaced by other conditions, such as anxiety and affective disorders.
By the 20th century, advances in psychology had opened up new horizons for understanding women’s mental health. Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories led people to begin to pay attention to deep inner conflicts rather than just the physical symptoms. Finally, after the 1940s, the medical community began to realize that a more complete understanding of women's symptoms could dispel most of the misunderstandings about hysteria.
Although the term "hysteria" is no longer used in today's women's health discussions, its existence still affects the diagnosis and treatment of women. Gender differences in various mental illnesses and past medical biases continue to spark ongoing discussion and research.
"Throughout this long history, hysteria has never really become a label to explain pain and suffering, but rather a tool to trap women and restrict their lives."
Today, we have clearly advanced in the way we diagnose and treat women. But do we truly understand the impact that past vilification has had on women’s mental health? Do you think that some hysterical old ideas are still persisting in modern society?
