What is Hysteria?

Hysteria is a name given to various kinds of neurological conditions which make the patients emotionally disturbed in some form or other. They can suffer from unexplained fears or phobia, loss of self control, depressions, seizures, etc. Historically such patients were said to be hallucinating and called witches, samans, witch doctors etc and persecuted. But with advancement of technology gradually hysteria has come to be accepted as a medical condition.

Symptoms and Causes of Hysteria

Hysteria generally manifests itself during adolescence or early adulthood and some forms are more common in women. The common symptoms that can predict the onset of a hysteric attack in a patient are – Heavy breathing, Clenched teeth, Tensing of muscles , Swelling of veins particularly in the neck region, Complain of something being stuck in the throat, Alternating between bouts of laughter and crying, etc. A strong attack can involve wild cries of distress or pain, seizures and blackouts. Since such attacks are often sudden – it is difficult to get ready medical help. At that point, home remedies for hysteria are of great help.

Though the physicians are often unsure of the whys and hows of hysteria even today, it is generally accepted that continual mental or physical stress and strain over a prolonged period, or a prolonged illness or trauma of any kind can bring on the hysteric condition in a patient. Unstable or emotionally disturbing upbringing in the childhood often results in hysteria in adolescents.

Treatment of Hysteria

Natural remedies for hysteria have been found to be most useful in treating hysteria patients. It is most advisable to ensure that such patients lead a normal life – as free from stress as possible, with regular eating, sleeping and exercising habits. The basis of all home remedy for hysteria is certain dietary inclusions and exclusions which need to be followed for a long term to help the patients significantly.

They can start off with a few days of all fruit diet – with all three meals consisting of fruits like apples, grapes, oranges, pineapples, papayas, grapefruits, etc.

This is to be followed by a month of all milk diet to nourish the nerves and strengthen them.

Diet for hysteria - Continue with a balanced diet of nuts, whole grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

Avoid tobacco and alcohol in any form, as well as coffee, tea, refined sugar and flour.

Dietary Supplements

The following dietary supplements are excellent home remedies for hysteria -

First thing in the morning mix a teaspoonful Indian gooseberry (amla) juice with a cup of lettuce juice freshly made, and give it to the patient to drink for a month. This is one of the effective natural remedy for hysteria.

Give the patient a tablespoon full of honey everyday.

Hysteria cure - Asafetida can be a part of the patients’ daily diet in small proportions of about 0.5 to 1.0 grams.

Mix 1gm of powdered Rauwolfia root with milk twice everyday - morning and evening – and let the patient drink that till completely cured.

The best home remedy for hysteria is probably the jambul fruit. Immerse 3kgs of the jambul fruit in a jug of water, adding a handful of salt in it. Keep this jug in the sun for seven days. A female hysteria patient is to be given 300 gm of this fruit on an empty stomach together with a cup of water from the prepared jug. The water will last about a week – so its advisable to start the whole jug and water process immediately again so that the treatment can continue without a break. For best results, ithe treatment should be continued for two weeks.

Other Home Remedies

Some applications are of good use as home remedies for hysteria –

The vegetable bottle Gourd can be grated to get a pulpy consistency and then applied to the patients’ head externally. This tends to relax the patient somewhat. This is one of the good hysteria treatment.

Asafetida is of great use. The patient can be made to smell it to prevent attacks. Otherwise 2 grams of asafetida can be dissolved with 120 ml of water to get a useful enema.