Analysis of Hysteria: Understanding Conversion and Dissociation, The
Harold Merskey
Conversion and dissociation cover numerous phenomena and a
wide range of ideas. The topic is central to understanding the
relationship between mind and body. This book provides a survey of
the whole range of hysterical phenomena, from classical paralyses
and blindness to questions about hysterical personality and
epidemic hysteria.
Contents
Part I. History and concepts
- Some traditional concepts
- Early neurological analyses
- The turn of the century
- The contribution of Freud
- Combat hysteria
- Ernst Kretschmer
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Part II. Motives and extremes
- Malingering, self-damage and anorexia nervosa
- Amnesia, pseudodementia and the Ganser syndrome: denial of
illness
- Compensation issues
Part III. Varied causes and symptoms
- Organic brain disease
- Pain
- Somatisation disorder and somatisation
- Hypochondriasis
- The diversity of hysterical complaints
- Epidemic or communicable hysteria
- Chronic fatigue syndromes
- Children
- Suggestion and hypnotic phenomena
- 'Multiple personality disorder'
- Dissociation repression and false memories
Part IV. Individual dynamics and clinical
subgroups
- Personality traits
- Psychoses
- Psychoanalytic concepts
Part V. A perspective