Symptoms Frequencies and Stressors in the Hysterical Subjects

Hysteria is one of the oldest words, derived from Greek word meaning wondering of uterus in the body. Hysterical neurosis was eliminated from DSM-III, and its subsequent editions (DSM-IIIR, DSM-IV, and DSM-IVTR), and its replacement by "dissociation disorders" and "conversion disorders. This study was done to identify frequency of hysterical symptoms and the preceding stressors.52patients was diagnosed according to DSM-IVTR, diagnostic criteria, between July and December2007. Then all patients were assessed with a semi structured interview, using seven items, about, age, sex, marital status, educational level, occupation, stressors and residential status.81% of the patients were females while 19% were males. The most frequent presentation was with conversion symptoms in 75% of the cases. Loss of consciousness was the most frequent symptom (25%), followed by paralysis (21%). 86% of patients had a history of stressors; while 14% deny any history of stressors. Most patients had a low educational level and they were from rural areas. Hysterical patients were presenting with one or more symptoms affecting voluntary motor or sensory function, this emphasizes the need for awareness among other specialties ofthese symptoms. Stressors are present in a large proportion of these patients and identification of these stressors is important for their management.