The first and only time that I had ever come across the word hysterical in connection with a person was and still is for my late mother by my late father. He called her that as an excuse for his philandering that created a dysfunctional home for his wife and children. I therefore am very cautious in using it to describe as someone’s behaviour because there is always the question of cause and effect, as in the case of my mother whether it was her alleged hysterical behaviour that caused my father to philander or whether it was his philandering that made her hysterical. Â This is one of the unsolved mysteries of my life as I never had to ask her directly about it as, this whole matter came up in a discussion with my father after my mother had gone off to her various Gods. Perhaps it is a good thing that I never asked her as her answer might have just aggravated an already hostile relationship with my father.
Strangely enough, I have not come across any instances of men being hysterical and I am hoping that there will be some enlightenment from the other LBC writers on the subject.
Other than this little sharing of my life, I have nothing to offer my readers on this subject which was chosen by Maria the Gaelikaa for the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where five of us write on the same topic. The four other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order, Ashok gaelikaa, Maxi, Shackman. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, do give some allowance for that too!
“hysteria” is the accusation men throw at women when they don’t want to recognise genuine anger. nobody would ever describe a man as hysterical (except possibly in grief) because men are allowed to get angry but women are generally not
kylie recently posted..a poor reception
And there lies the rub. The woman is expected to be lady like whereas the man can do what he wants. Absurd.
A touching personal account, Ramana. Who knows. As you say, cause and effect. – but in which order? A bit like the hen and egg conundrum.
Hysteria does, of course, relate to the uterus/womb. Hence ‘hysterectomy’. I once smashed a mirror – in a moment of acute and desperate emotional anguish. The difference – and I think that’s what Kylie is hinting at – that my behaviour, being a woman, might have been deemed as ‘hysteria’, emotions gushing out of control; whereas a man doing the same thing would be described as “angry” or, worst case scenario, “flying into a rage”. Rage in a man is frightening stuff. Give me a hysterical out of control of her emotions woman any time. Sure they screech and cry. But that’s so much easier to deal with than with a man once he has lost it – amply supported by a man’s sheer physical strength (and therefore threat) and testosterone surge.
Hysteria/Rage? Let’s boil it down to semantics – strong emotions, however we label them.
By way of light relief: A few times in my life I did the ‘manly’ thing: Banging my fist on the table. And please don’t laugh hysterically: Resulting in beautiful and rather painful bruises. Horses for courses, swings and roundabouts.
May calm be with you (and me),
U
Ursula recently posted..Done
So be it.
I have come across both men and women, who have behaved with irrational hysteria, often because they could not have their own way. A common fault in those who try to exert their control over others.
Grannymar recently posted..The End is never the End ~ Part 4
I am sure you are a good woman, Grannymar. But find your comments often devoid of emotional warmth and understanding.
“Irrational” hysteria? Emotions running high are irrational by definition. NOT “a fault” as you call it. Neither should one deduce that the person in despair is trying “to exert control over others”. It’s a narrow, unforgiving view, Grannymar. Sorry.
U
Ursula recently posted..Phobic
Having been associated with a twelve step recovery programme, I have seen such behaviours quite often but they rarely can be classified as hysteria. Using techniques like breaking into tears or not eating food or locking out the spouse etc are all behaviours that are resorted to to establish control over an uncontrollable situation.
The situations I mentions were in the workplace. Different companies, years and countries. Absolutely no reason for it. In my young days we had no choicebut to put up with it. Not now there are ways & means to censure or stop this happening
Grannymar recently posted..Trip to Paris
Dysfunctional families. I know a thing or two about that – the term hysterical was originally applied only to women. Thanks to Ursula’s history lesson I now know why. Hysteria is dangerous on its own but when it spreads to a group it can be truly terrifying. Nice song choice – I used it too.
Yes, I am quite familiar with mass hysteria and have been caught up in a few of them as an unintending member of the crowd,
I can’t say that I have ever witnessed hysteria. I did as a child witness what was considered a ‘nervous breakdown’ which in some cases can evolve from hysteria but in this particular case the underlying cause was depression.
Alan G recently posted..A brief glance into my life as a fishmonger….
I suppose that you and I are lucky!
I thought hysteria related to a whole group of people who are ‘shocked’ at something occuring…but on reading some replies and your take it could mean one person who prolongs a situations.
hysterial I see as different, more short lived…for the person and for others to say “she was hysterial when xyz happened, and it seemed an almost of over the top reaction”
Cathy in NZ recently posted..Repairs done and then Bingo
So far, I have been under the same impression too. I am wiser for having written that piece and read the comments.
I had a conversation with a hysterical woman yesterday. A friend came home to find her cat had been attacked by dogs. She called me to see if my husband would drive her to the pet hospital. He wasn’t able to, so she took a taxi. But I kept getting hysterical calls from her when the driver got lost. Really, I think hysterical reactions are counterproductive. They don’t help anything.
Delirious recently posted..Chinese are Masters at Cutting in Line
Nuts, but I can visualise that.
The only thing I wonder is how to respond to hysteria and calm it down.
Looney recently posted..The New Ghetto Music
I suppose that if I ever came across some one going through an attack I would too.