"A tendency to cause trouble" – over history, there have been LOTS of "definitions" of hysteria. Usually from men, starting in the 5th Century BC with Hippocrates. (You've heard of the Hippocratic Oath? Yeah. That guy.) Ahem.

If you're like us, the least mention of hysteria in regards to those who identify as women really gets the hackles up. Outdated and untrue though it may be, it's still a problem: This notion of women being "hysterical" underpins much of women's struggles to get their issues recognized, respected, studied, and treated.

So in this episode, Ruby and Anne take apart these notions of women and hysteria, that great uber-diagnosis that explained All The Things. Except it didn't.

Though the episode is genuinely hilarious (note the purposeful avoidance of 'hysterical' in reference to ha ha funny), it's an important issue – women often aren't diagnosed or are mis-diagnosed for YEARS, causing not just undue suffering, but also allowing disease progression and potentially triggering inappropriate self-medicating, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

So listen to the episode, laugh along with the hosts and the ludicrous ideas that "science" has held about women's bodies. Then gird your loins, gals, and be ready to advocate for yourself when remnants of that old "hysteria" idea creep into modern life. Menopause is NOT all in your head, heart attacks look different in women, cramps shouldn't be debilitating, and any medical professional who says "just deal with it" for flooding periods can f- uh, find a more suitable profession.

Looking for more great information? Find Ruby and Anne and their catalog of episodes on your favorite podcast app and at https://thewholepineapple.com/.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480686/

(Women And Hysteria In The History Of Mental Health - PMC (nih.gov))

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128017722000011

(A brief history of hysteria: From the ancient to the modern - ScienceDirect)

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/the-controversy-of-female-hysteria#Vibrators-for-hysteria?

https://www.wired.com/2014/05/fantastically-wrong-wandering-womb/

https://bpr.berkeley.edu/2021/08/10/the-lingering-effects-of-female-hysteria-in-medicine/

https://www.themedicalcareblog.com/female-hysteria-womens-health-disparities/

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/high-court-lets-alabama-sex-toy-ban-stand/

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/562915/summary

Here is where you can read The Yellow Wallpaper

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1952/1952-h/1952-h.htm