Analysis of Hysteria: A Case Study of Anna O. Cognition

This report provides an analysis of the studies and concepts of hysteria relevant to psychology, using the case study of Anna O. Cognition and perspectives of other authors. It discusses the effectiveness of talk therapy and recommends adopting a psychological perspective to deal with the disease.

Running Head: PSYCHOLOGY
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Psychology
12/12/2018

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Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Anna O. Cognition Case........................................................................................................................2
Articles on the case of Anna O. Cognition............................................................................................3
Sigmund Freud and Hysteria: The Etiology of Psychoanalysis.........................................................3
Medical Men, Women of Letters, and Treatments for Eighteenth Century Hysteria.........................4
Analysis from the previous and current research methodology used for hysteria..................................5
Findings from the articles......................................................................................................................6
Recommendations.................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................6
References.............................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The report brings about the discussion on the analysis of the studies and concepts of
topic relevant to the psychology. The assignment will conduct a research on the various brain
and nervous system functions and their interrelatedness to the cognition, memory, sleep and
various other neurological health disorders. These aspects will be studied in relation to the
case study of Anna O. Cognition, and the perspective of other authors on similar studies.
Cognition is the aspect which is referred to the mental action or the process of acquiring
knowledge and understanding through the thought process, senses, and experiences of the
individual (Libbrecht, 2018).
It will be done using some peer-reviewed articles, or primary research studies. Thus,
the report will provide readers an understanding of the case of Anna and the relevant aspects
of the cognition which influences the health of an individual. In addition, to the discussion on
the case of Anna, the report will mention about the research conducted in the past and the
methods used in the current scenario, which will help in analysing the topic briefly. It will
thus help the researchers to provide the future directions or suggestions to make any
improvement leading to the conclusion.
Anna O. Cognition Case
Anna O. was the pseudonym of the patient of Josef Breuer who published her case in
collaboration with the Sigmund Freud, who was an Australian neurologist and recognised as
the founder of psychoanalysis. The term psychoanalysis refers to a clinical method for
treating psychopathology through the way of dialogue between psychoanalyst and the patient.
Anna O. was given treatment by Breuer for the problem of severe cough and the paralysis of
the extremities on the right part of her side. In addition, she also faced issues of impaired
vision, loss of hearing, including hallucinations and the loss of consciousness (McGuire,
2017).
Later on, after the clinical diagnosis of her disturbed health condition, it was found
that she was suffering from the problem of Hysteria. It is the condition in which the person
exhibits the above mentioned symptoms without any specific apparent physical cause. The
illness of Anna developed few symptoms which included language disorders, neuralgia,
paralysis, visual impairments, mood swings, eating disorders, and several others. After

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discussing about the health condition with Anna, it was found that she developed a fear of
drinking because of the dog she once hated. In addition, Freud implied that the cause or
reasons of her illness was her father, the resentment she felt over her father’s illness which
later led to his death (Bogousslavsky, 2014). It was analysed that on providing her treatment,
she started improving her health condition, and later on she recovered and led a productive
life over time.
There were several perspectives to the case of Anna regarding her illness, as after
conducting the examination of the neurological aspects of Anna, the details has suggested the
patient suffered from the partial seizures which were exacerbated by the drug dependence. In
this context, the details opposed the viewpoint of Freud, who considered Anna’s illness as
psychological, it was rather neurological. Looking onto some other aspects of her illness,
some arguments stated that she suffered from tuberculosis meningitis, and even there were
assumptions about the illness of Anna which described that she suffered from temporal lobe
epilepsy. They described that Freud misdiagnosed her as they found the symptoms of types of
epilepsy (Gelauff et al., 2014).
Articles on the case of Anna O. Cognition
Sigmund Freud and Hysteria: The Etiology of Psychoanalysis
Bogousslavsky and Dieguez (2014) have worked upon the aspect which stated that
Freud developed an interest in Hysteria, but he learned from the professor Charcot and most
of the studies of Sigmund were found on the hysteria. These included hysteria in men,
influence of the sub-conscious, role of the traumatic experiences and psychological and
sexual factors of an individual leading or causing illness. While the aspect of such mental
illness in the past years has not been clear, however hysteria remains to be the origin of the
psychoanalytic theory by Freud. In addition, the reason behind the interest of the research
conducted on hysteria (Daniels, 2017).
The authors stated that the Freud’s opinion about the illness of Anna and other such
patients, hysteria was understood by observations derived through some obstacles during the
process of treatment provided to these patients. Thus, to conclude the authors, described
about one famous word of Freud which states that hysterical patients suffer from

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reminiscences and their symptoms characterise ramnants. Symptoms of these patients also
included memory symbols of the traumatic experiences. This has been linked to the case of
Anna who experienced the illness due to the phase of trauma. It has been also evidenced that
there is a great role of traumatic events, physical and psychological factors in triggering
hysteria, especially in women. The case also had a strong emphasis on the heredity and the
genetic factors to cause the problem of hysteria. Thus, the research study done in the past
years by these authors reveals about the Freud’s psychoanalytic theory and his methods for
hysterical patients (Libbrecht, 2018).
Beyond Psychoanalysis: The Contributions of Anna Freud to Applied Developmental
Psychology
Aldridge, Kilgo, and Jepkemboi (2014) stated that Anna Freud was one of the
founders of child psychoanalysis as she was the daughter of Sigmund Freud. They discussed
that Anna Freud had many contributions towards the developmental psychology, and there
were five areas that Anna Freud influenced development psychology through research and
practice. These include work in assessment, attachment, and social relations, and there are
four factors which determine the development of the patient. These included factors such as
interaction amongst the mental, physical, and the socio-economic development, and also the
factors which promote or hinder the process of development (Daniels, 2017).
Medical Men, Women of Letters, and Treatments for Eighteenth Century Hysteria
Meek (2012) discussed about the evolving treatments of hysteria in the 18th century by
examining the works which has been done from both physician writers and educated literary
women. The treatments which have been identified ranges from aggressive bloodlettings,
diet, and beatings. These relate to perform the activities, exercise, fresh air, and writing cures,
reveals about a unique culture of therapy which defines about the female sufferers or doctors
exerts an influence over the belief about how the women’s mental illness can be cured. It has
been described that hysteria is found to be one of the major women’s mental illness and
Freud considered it as the exclusively female disease; from two perspectives i.e. scientific
and demonological. Thus, to discuss about the cure and treatment of the disease it has been
found that it was cured with herbs, sex, or sexual abstinence, and in the later stages treated
with some innovative strategies (Broussolle et al., 2014).
In the 16th and 17th century, hysteria was believed to be due to retention of humours or
fluids in the uterus of the female body, it also includes other aspects such as sexual

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deprivation or about the tendency of the uterus to wander around the female body. The
situation causes irritability and suffocation. The authors has discussed that self-treatment
masturbation has not been recommended, and also stated as taboo, whereas marriage and the
sexual encounters with their husbands is the highly recommended method to treat the women
with the illness of hysteria (Karaahmet et al., 2017).
The mental illness of hysteria in the 18th century, the diseases has gained associations
as the mechanisms have gained association with the brain rather than the uterus. Thus, the
authors have stated about the association of the illness with the brain of the women, and the
treatment for this was the pelvic massage, which could be done by a health expert as the cure
for the female hysteria (Bronfen, 2014).
The talking therapy was used as the treatment by the Breuer which meant as the
discussion with the patient, on the daily basis. The therapy aimed to understand the problems
of Anna to identify the base of her mental illness hysteria. As the therapy has been effective
in the case of Anna as she had the habit of story-telling which provided Breuer the
information regarding her sad experiences, which mostly related to her father (Lear, 2018).
Analysis from the previous and current research methodology used for hysteria
The above discussion has provided a brief of the aspects, and treatments used in the
case of Anna for her illness, now there will be an analysis of the previous and current
research methodologies used by the researchers in their study. There have been several
studies in the past and present years, as hysteria was found as one of the common health
illness in the people (Lew et al., 2018). In the 17th century the researchers used analytical or
quantitative research on a number of people on a series on some 430 patients in the hospital
of Paris, which was a quite considerable number. The breadth and quality of the research
done on hysteria in the previous years was considerable as per the rate of the illness.
However, there have been certain improvements made by the psychologists and psychiatrists
in their studies in the later years (North, 2015).
Thus, to state about the research done on hysteria in the current scenario, it has been
found that a study conducted few years back, around 2012 which was an analytical research
among youth in a secondary school in Malaysia. The sample size used in this research was
not appropriate as they selected some of the girls, and the respondents included 41 girls who
experienced the problem of hysteria studying in the school (Stern, 2018). The psychologists

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contributed to facilitate people understand the causes and treatments of hysteria amongst
people; as they stated emotional stress to be one prime cause for hysteria. There have been
certain issues as the research study on hysteria must be conducted on a large group of
patients, and health system must focus on putting efforts towards adopting a talk therapy as it
was used in the case of Anna. The flaws that were identified by the researchers in the study
included that the psychiatrists need to help hysterical patients through a psychological
perspective rather focusing only on the medical procedures and other treatments (Schmidt,
2016).
Findings from the articles
To discuss about the research findings from the two above two articles or studies
based on the illness hysteria, some commonality has been found in the research on the illness.
Authors or psychologists in both the articles mentioned and discussed about the effectiveness
of talk therapy to the patients of hysteria, as it has been considered as the most appropriate
way to treat. This involved a communication or conversation with these patients which can
help the psychologists to listen and help them recover from the illness.
Recommendations
To discuss about the illness called as hysteria, it has been recommended that the psychologist,
psychiatrists or doctors in the modern health care must identify and understand the relevance
of the psychological aspects of the individual; they must adopt a psychological perspective to
deal with the disease. In addition, there must be an approach or advice given to the general
practitioners to inform patients to not go from one specialist to another, as it may lead to the
investigation of the situation over and over again. Thus, changes in the system are required to
be adopted from both the aspects, on the part of psychologists, and the patients suffering from
hysteria. In addition, the research must be conducted on a large number of patients, and it is
essential that the aspects of cultural issues and emotional stress is analysed and afterwards
therapies or results must be undertaken.
Conclusion
To conclude the above discussion it has been analysed that hysteria is found to be one
of the major mental health illness in women. The illness has been characterised as both
common and chronic in the women in terms of the western medicine, which has social

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implications on the lives of people. The report above has mentioned the relevant aspects of
hysteria obtained from the research conducted from the multiple perspectives. They have
highlighted well about the case of Anna and the relevant information related to her case.
Hence, hysteria has been the first attributable mental illness to the women, has been now
precisely defined as somatization disorder, therefore it must be treated well with the use of
appropriate methods and therapies.

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References
Aldridge, J., Kilgo, J. L. & Jepkemboi, G. (2014). Beyond psychoanalysis: The contributions
of Anna Freud to applied developmental psychology. SOP Transactions on
Psychology, 1(2), 18-28.
Bogousslavsky, J. & Dieguez, S. (2014). Sigmund Freud and hysteria: the etiology of
psychoanalysis. In Hysteria: The Rise of an Enigma, 35, 109-125.
Bogousslavsky, J. (Ed.). (2014). Hysteria: the rise of an enigma. Switzerland: Karger
Medical and Scientific Publishers.
Bronfen, E. (2014). The knotted subject: Hysteria and its discontents (Vol. 383). United
States: Princeton University Press.
Broussolle, E., Gobert, F., Danaila, T., Thobois, S., Walusinski, O. & Bogousslavsky, J.
(2014). History of Physical and ‘Moral' Treatment of Hysteria. In Hysteria: The Rise
of an Enigma (Vol. 35, pp. 181-197). Switzerland: Karger Publishers.
Daniels, J. (2017). Hyperemersis gravidarum: past hysteria and present needs. BJOG: An
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Gelauff, J., Stone, J., Edwards, M. & Carson, A. (2014). The prognosis of functional
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Psychiatry, 85(2), 220-226.
Karaahmet, O. Z., Gurcay, E., Sancioglu, H., Unlu, E. & Cakci, A. (2017). Beneficial effect
of faradic stimulation treatment on the rehabilitation of hysterical paraplegia. Journal
of back and musculoskeletal rehabilitation, 30(5), 1117-1119.
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Schmidt, J. (2016). Melancholy and the care of the soul: Religion, moral philosophy and
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