Throughout history, calling a woman “crazy” often leads to a frenzy, a reaction rooted in the painful legacy of treatments for female hysteria.

The term hysteria has its origins in ancient Greece, where “Hystera” translates to “womb.” Over time, it evolved into a vague diagnosis encompassing various ailments: seizures, depression, pelvic pain, and even rebelliousness.

The father of medicine, Hippocrates, theorized that a woman’s “female seed” could contaminate her organs if not released. This notion suggested that pent-up sexual energy could lead to madness.

Galen contributed to the confusion by claiming that the uterus had a mind of its own, wandering throughout the body and causing disturbances. One moment it was in place, and the next it could be off on an imaginary holiday.

By the Victorian era, women faced chaos and malpractice due to a profound misunderstanding of their anatomy. Here are some of the most outlandish treatments for hysteria.

Scents, Leeches, and Inversions According to ancient Greek wisdom, the key to restraining a rogue uterus was through strategic scents. Bad odors were believed to coax it down, while pleasant aromas were used to lure it back up. Essentially, the uterus was treated like a wild animal in need of bait.

Some women were even suspended upside down to allow gravity to do its work. If that failed, leeches were applied to the labia to draw out the supposed impurities.

Sex: The Recommended Remedy Hippocrates espoused a rather harmless solution: regular sexual activity. He particularly worried about women without partners, fearing they would become mentally unstable due to unrelieved sexual tension.

Masturbation as a Cure If sexual intercourse was out of reach, the next best option was self-stimulation. During Hippocrates’ time, doctors and midwives employed “gentle massage” to alleviate symptoms.

However, the Victorians frowned upon such pleasures, believing that literature could lead young women astray. They held that “good” women wouldn’t experience arousal, while “bad” ones had uncontrollable desires.

In 1899, the Merck Manual even recommended “uterine massage” for hysteria, turning it into a lucrative practice for many physicians. Wilhelm Reich became a notable advocate for this treatment, known for inducing “paroxysms” in his patients.

In the 1880s, Dr. Joseph Mortimer Granville invented the first electromechanical vibrator to ease the burden on doctors’ wrists during these treatments.

While some historians debate the effectiveness of vibrators in treating hysteria, advertisements of the time made suggestive claims, implying they could help women regain control over their “weak nerves.”

The usage of vibrators soon became taboo within the medical community when the porn industry adopted them.

Hysterectomy: The Go-To Solution By the early 1900s, hysterectomies had emerged as the cure-all for various female health issues. Pelvic pain? Remove the uterus. Migraines? Out it goes. Hysteria? The uterus must definitely be excised.

The first vaginal hysterectomies date back to ancient history and were often performed to treat endometriosis. In those pre-antibiotic days, surgical outcomes were grim, with high mortality rates due to infections.

10. Marion Sims, a pivotal figure in gynecology, believed that removing a woman’s ovaries was essential, asserting that a woman’s psyche was dictated by her reproductive organs. He conducted these procedures without anesthesia, often on Black women, under the misguided belief that they felt no pain.

Even today, Black women face a higher likelihood of recurring fibroids and are disproportionately subjected to hysterectomies compared to white women.

Clitorectomy: An Extreme Measure Clitorectomy, the surgical removal of the clitoris, was advocated by some leading gynecologists in the 19th century as a remedy for hysteria. Unfortunately, many surgeons struggled to locate the clitoris and often resorted to extensive mutilation, leading to incontinence.

Despite the procedure, most women continued to experience sexual desire post-surgery, likely due to incomplete removal.

By the 1920s, Freud had labeled the “paroxysm” as a form of sexual climax. He condemned masturbation as “self-abuse,” associating it with hysteria and addiction, yet the practice continued, leading some physicians to suggest clitorectomies as a solution.

One of the most notable proponents of clitorectomies was Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, who recommended extreme measures for young girls caught in the act of masturbation.

Are you feeling uneasy yet?

“The scalpel is the greatest proof of the failure of medicine.” - Gabriel García Márquez

Lobotomy: A Radical Shift By the mid-20th century, clitorectomies were falling out of favor due to their ineffectiveness. In their place, lobotomies emerged as a surgical option for mental illness, involving the removal of portions of the brain.

In 1949 alone, over 5,000 lobotomies were performed, leading to Antonio Egas Moniz receiving the Nobel Prize for his work.

Rose Kennedy, sister of John F. Kennedy, was famously lobotomized after her father deemed her behavior a threat to the family’s reputation. Following the procedure, she lost her former vivacity and became non-responsive.

Many women endured similar fates from lobotomies, which often resulted in catastrophic consequences.

Morphine: The Final Resort When all else failed—be it sexual activity, masturbation, or surgical intervention—the last resort was often medication. Morphine and laudanum became widespread treatments for female anxiety. Mary Todd Lincoln famously relied on laudanum, leading to addiction.

At the time, the addictive nature of opiates was largely overlooked, as society was preoccupied with alcohol prohibition. By the late 19th century, a significant portion of morphine addicts were women. It wasn’t until 1905 that Congress outlawed opium in medications.

Hysteria was primarily considered a condition affecting upper-class white women, while men were diagnosed with insanity. This diagnosis labeled women as incapable of self-control for centuries. It wasn’t until 1952 that the American Psychiatric Association removed hysteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Even today, women are diagnosed with conditions like Borderline Personality Disorder significantly more than men, leaving the reasons unclear.

The term “hysteria” carries a painful history. The next time you consider calling a woman hysterical, remember those who endured misguided treatments and suffering throughout the ages.