The concept of hysteria as mirror of the relation between clinical and cultural psychology.

This paper examines the historical evolution of the psycho-pathological concept of hysteria, highlighting its transformation from an exclusively female diagnosis rooted in physiological theories to a politically and culturally redefined term influenced by feminist cultural psychology. It traces how hysteria shifted from a sexist, paternalistic diagnosis in antiquity and the 19th century to its eventual removal from psychiatric classifications by the late 20th century, replaced by terms like histrionic personality disorder. The analysis emphasizes the interplay between medical findings, socio-political movements—especially women’s emancipation—and changing gender relations in reshaping the meaning and diagnosis of hysteria. Ultimately, the paper argues that hysteria exemplifies how psychological diagnoses reflect broader cultural, political, and social power structures, underscoring the need for critical reflection on the sociocultural contexts of mental health classifications.