Mass Hysteria

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What is “Mass Hysteria"?  

-Mass Hysteria, or Mass Psychogenic Illness (MPI)， is a rapid spread of illness symptoms affecting a large amount of people, originating from a nervous system disturbance involving excitation, loss, or alteration of function. In general, Mass Hysteria are group of people loss their mind and gone crazy. 

-Usually, there are no bacterial or viral agent spread through  the population it involves, it is distinct from other type of collective delusion. According to Balaratnasingam and Janca, “Mass hysteria is to date a poorly understood condition. Little certainty exists regarding its etiology.  Qualities of Mass Hysteria often include:

  • Symptoms that have no plausible organic basis;
  • Symptoms that are transient and benign;
  • Symptoms with rapid onset and recovery;
  • Occurrence in a segregated group;
  • The presence of extraordinary anxiety;
  • Symptoms that are spread via sign, sound or oral communication;
  • A spread that moves down the age scale, beginning with older or higher-status people;
  • A preponderance of female participants. 

British psychiatrist Simon Wesseley distinguishes between two form of MPI:

  • Mass anxiety hysteria “consists of episodes of acute anxiety, occurring mainly in schoolchildren. Prior tension is absent and the rapid spread is by visual contact."
  • Mass motor hysteria “consists of abnormalities in motor behaviour. It occurs in any age group and prior tension is present. Initial cases can be identified and the spread is gradual. . . . [T]he outbreak may be prolonged."

“Strawberries with Sugar virus" (2006)

-In 2006, hundreds of Portuguese kid began experiencing dizziness and rashes. Doctor later attributed to them having a mysterious virus on the popular teen soup opera “Strawberries with Sugar Virus". Most of them have problems breathing, some were dizzy, others developed rashes. The kid were scattered at 14 different schools around the country, some of them were forced to close. 

After several studies, medical official decided the TV program was part of the problems, because these issues developed just a few day after the soap opera aired an episode about a mysterious, life threatening virus.  Some of the kid became fearful at their allergies and rashes because they afraid it were a serious health issues. Other kid developed the “Illness" because of they were stressed about the upcoming exam.

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