In the summer of 2014, a mysterious illness occurred in El Carmen de Bolívar, a remote town in northern Colombia. Over a four-month period between May and September, a total of 240 pre-adolescent and adolescent girls were hospitalized with surprising symptoms such as fainting spells, shortness of breath, severe headaches, numbness in the hands, nausea, and convulsions. These 240 young girls underwent a series of tests conducted by doctors and psychologists. However, the source of the illness was never found.

 

 

Mass Hysteria  can be defined as the spread of emotional excitation experienced by one or more individuals to others within the same group, resulting in the appearance of certain physical symptoms in people without any physical cause.

Fainting and non-epileptic seizures are common symptoms of mass psychogenic illness. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headaches, weakness, dizziness, chest pain, abdominal pain, hyperventilation, and twitching. These usually occur among people who are physically and socially close to each other in enclosed environments such as schools, factories, hospitals, offices, and military barracks. Usually, there is a trigger or some kind of stress factor that causes the outbreak. This could be an emotional event like a school exam, illness, or death, or it could arise from beliefs in evil spirits or ghosts.

Mass hysteria is transmitted through images and sounds, so witnessing the events is typically necessary to be affected. It usually starts suddenly and spreads rapidly. Adolescents and pre-adolescent girls are particularly susceptible. Moreover, if the individuals involved know each other, the likelihood of escalation is higher. Seeing a close friend you admire fall ill increases the chance that you might experience similar symptoms.

Does Social Media Cause Mass Hysteria?

Social media can play a role in sustaining mass hysteria today. For example, there have been cases of young people developing tic disorders after watching videos of individuals with tics on TikTok. However, more research is needed to fully understand how social media might contribute to mass hysteria.  

How to Reduce Mass Hysteria?

Mass hysteria should be treated as a serious potential public health issue. The source of the symptoms must be investigated, and individuals experiencing unexplained symptoms should receive appropriate treatment.

There are several strategies that can help people avoid falling into mass hysteria:

• Isolation: Separating individuals who show unusual or unexplained symptoms from the public can help prevent their behavior from influencing others.
• Stress Reduction Techniques: Stress management methods ,  such as deep breathing, meditation, and visualization can help those distressed by their own or others’ unexplained symptoms.
• Psychotherapy: Talking to a therapist can be beneficial for people experiencing or witnessing mass hysteria. Therapeutic approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can reduce negative or anxious thoughts that contribute to mass hysteria.