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ON THE PSYCHIC MECHANISM OF HYSTERICAL PHENOMENA
Sigmund Freud (1895)

Summary:
Gentlemen, I am writing to you today with the purpose of summarizing a joint work with Josef Breuer on the pathogenesis of
hysterical symptoms, the first part of which has been published in Zentralblatt für Neurologic
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Charcot, whom we consider a pivotal forerunner in the field, demonstrated the regularity and law behind hysteria, especially by
focusing on traumatic paralysis
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Charcot succeeded
in artificially reproducing paralysis in hysterical patients using hypnosis and suggestion
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However, we recognize that Charcot's analysis is limited to these
specific symptoms, without addressing how other hysterical symptoms are generated or how hysteria develops in the absence of
obvious trauma
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This work represents a step forward in our understanding of the complex
interaction between mind and body in the context of hysteria and opens new doors for future research in this fascinating and
enigmatic field
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Breuer on hysteria
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Breuer between 1880 and 1882, who developed severe and complex hysteria due to non-traumatic
events while caring for her ailing father
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After my return from studying with Charcot in 1886, together with Breuer, we began to observe and analyze a wide range of
hysterical patients
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Our main conclusion was that there is an analogy between traumatic and non-traumatic hysteria: in both cases, significant
emotional events command the nature of the symptoms
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Let me illustrate with examples how psychic trauma is linked to the onset of hysterical symptoms
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This episode related to the subsequent
contracture of the arm
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This symptom was traced
back to two occasions when he proposed to remain silent, but the fear of making noise manifested itself in the form of a tongue
click
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Sleep disorders also have their origin in past experiences
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Another patient had insomnia in November, which related to the
time she spent caring for her sick son at that time of year twelve years ago

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