Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The twitching worsened over the weeks which lead to other girls complaining about the same problems. It was believed that the victims underwent a “psychogenic illness” which lead to this mass hysteria. This whole incident also led to a stampede. Copyright © (2016 - 2021) Historyly.com. Mass psychogenic illness (MPI), also called mass sociogenic illness, mass psychogenic disorder, epidemic hysteria, or mass hysteria, is "the rapid spread of illness signs and symptoms affecting members of a cohesive group, originating from a nervous system disturbance involving excitation, loss, or alteration of function, whereby physical complaints that are exhibited unconsciously have no … This resulted in the school being closed and the laughing epidemic spread to the other villages as well. However, entomologists completely dismissed the idea and refused to believe the existence of the kissing bug. Why This incident was believed to have supernatural relations. The hour-long radio broadcast was narrated in a news bulletin format without any commercial breaks. All Rights Reserved. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Each of these historical examples have had a group of people that have been affected by the same symptoms, irrational behaviors, or unexplainable causes of illness. The world has been well aware of mass delirium. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Many believed that this was a case of bio terrorism, however, scientists bashed this theory. Later, detectives proved that there was no “Halifax slasher” and most of the cases reported were that of self-inflicted wounds. 7 The following is a list of 15 examples of mass hysteria. The first example is the one that you may find quite easy to rationalize. October 30, 1938. For example, The dancing plague of 1518, The mass hysteria in Brunei, and The Salem Witch trials are outbreaks of mass hysteria. While the destruction inflicted by mass hysteria is limited by private property rights in a free society, such limits do not exist when there is a state.4 Indeed, a well-organized group that has succumbed to mass hysteria may get control of the state apparatus and impose measures on the rest of the population and inflict untold harm. Du Bois Life and Contribution, 15 Most Disastrous Pandemics That Changed History, 15 Fearless Female Warriors of Ancient World. Many people like to term mass hysteria as a collective delusion which can lead to a lot of damage. Mass hysteria definition, a condition affecting a group of persons, characterized by excitement or anxiety, irrational behavior or beliefs, or inexplicable symptoms of illness. As odd as the craze may seem to some, it's nothing compared to other causes of mass hysteria — some of which caused death and illness. Three girls who were studying in a boarding school started laughing uncontrollably, and the contagious nature of this laughter swept over 95 out of 159 students. Also, some children deliberately caused rashes on their body by rubbing sand paper on it in order to miss school. In 1692, at first a girl fell sick. A psychiatric ward in London was hit by mass hysteria in the early 1970s. In the spring of 1939, a girl in Louisiana experienced massive twitching in her leg during the annual homecoming dance. One of the nuns started meowing like a cat and then soon after the other nuns followed. Synonym(s): epidemic hysteria , mass sociogenic illness Incidents of mass panic or hysteria depend on the mood of the crowd at the time an episode occurs. All the nuns used to collectively meow at  a specific time which drove the inhabitants of the neighborhood absolutely crazy. An incident of meowing nuns was reported in France back in the Medieval age. According to scientists, parents and nurses who were well aware of bio terrorism started becoming overly cautious regarding body rashes. All Rights Reserved. But that will surely not make the phenomenon of mass hysteria duller or less entertaining. Numerous young girls exhibited fits … situation where masses of people suddenly show weird psychological and physical symptoms Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Later investigations proved that Helen, the patient zero Helen was a bad dancer and was scared to lose her boyfriend to a freshman who was better at dancing. Me just mention a few examples may show you exactly what the beast can do were attacked by a figure! Named Louise confided that she was pregnant, which was untrue the used! 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