Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
Despite the evolution of hysteria from a gynecological affliction to a psychological disorder—and its eventual disappearance as a formal diagnosis by 1980—the fundamental mistreatment of women’s healthcare persisted. The understanding of hysteria across Europe and the United States evolved significantly from 1850 to 1980, but even as medical definitions of hysteria changed over time, the treatment of women remained largely unchanged, as physicians continued to dismiss, control, and pathologize their health concerns through invasive and often harmful interventions.
Recommended Citation
Lynxwiler, Logan, "Hysteria by Any Other Name: The Unchanging Treatment of Women in Healthcare (1850–1980)" (2025). Undergraduate Research Awards, Hollins University. 87.
https://digitalcommons.hollins.edu/researchawards/87
Comments
Undergraduate Research Awards - 2025 Finalist, First-year/Sophomore Category