Mass Hysteria

Mass Hysteria Mass hysteria also called mass psychogenic illness (MPI), defined as a social phenomenon, consists of collective anxiety due to a perceived threat and can culminate in a cascade of symptoms suggestive of organic disease without an identifiable cause. Its history dates back to the 14th century and impacts people from all cultures and regions of the world. Before the 20thcentury, MPI emerged across Europe, often in socially isolated convents, in highly stressful environments. The Dancing Plague 1518 In the summer of 1518, a woman named Frau Troffea began dancing in the streets of Strasbourg, France. Soon, others joined, and within weeks, hundreds were dancing relentlessly, sometimes for days, some to the point of exhaustion or death. Causes and Contributing Factors: Mass Hysteria (Psychogenic Illness): Many historians believe the dancing was a form of mass hysteria, a psychological phenomenon where a group of people share a belief or experience, o...