Those who aren't immersed in the world of neurology (or who don't have direct experience with it) are probably not too familiar with conversion disorder. One of the worst kinds is something known as a psychogenic seizure, affectionately known to neuro reidents as a "fake seizure". Incredibly, about half (yes, half, as in every other patient) of patients who present to the hospital with seizures are actually suffering from conversion disorder. The article seems to paint conversion disorder (and psychogenic seizures) as an uncontrollable condition. For some it is. For others, it's no more than a voluntary cry for attention. Many of these people were abused and neglected, and the hospital is the only place they can get anyone to care about them. This has led to a situation where neurologists have developed and are trained in many tests to see if a condition is real or not (for example, limb stiffness and reflexivity for a seizing patient). It's a giant waste of money and time for everyone. Unfortunately, because of the way Medicaid works (most of these people are poor, and not middle class school girls, although that makes a better story, hence the Atlantic, and they sure as shit aren't getting any specialized treatment from a bunch of docs), it's impossible to just send them to the psych unit. Instead, they are discharged until they present again with the same symptoms. Anyway, I know this is a little off topic, but I don't want everyone who read this (admittedly interesting) article to get the wrong idea about conversion disorder. It's a fascinating subject that transcends mass hysteria and Facebook, and is all too common in the real world.
I immediately thought about this #goodlongread from a couple days ago: The Lying Disease. The lies escalate slowly, which makes them harder to detect. Someone might sound like a walking textbook when talking about their symptoms, or they may be quick to duplicate the symptoms of other people around them. The lies are intricate, detailed, engrossing. Terrible setbacks are followed by miraculous recoveries. And if someone else becomes the center of attention, their condition will dramatically worsen or they will become the victim of a sudden tragic event. Sound familiar? Both this Hysteria and Munchausen by Internet is they are almost archaic illnesses that are coming back to life because of our new connected world. No longer do we need to be in close proximity to people to develop emotional connections to them. Also the spread, observation and noting of these diseases is now easier to do as we can learn about the incidents regardless of their location. It's interesting that both of these also seem to manifest almost exclusively in females. (bitches be craaaaazy...) It's one of the unexpected consequences of having a more connected world. Bizarre & endlessly interesting. Thanks for posting, zebra2.Like other forms of the disorder, Feldman explains that Munchausen by internet usually manifests in the late teens or early 20s. It's often preempted or accompanied by other psychological issues, most commonly personality disorders. And it predominantly affects women. "I'm not clear on all the reasons for that, but it's a pretty consistent finding," Feldman explains. "And many of them have medical or nursing training... Their fascination with medical issues is expressed in their career choices."
I definitely thought of that post too. It's interesting to think that all this tech could aid in an upsurge of old psychological issues. After looking into it, it seems to make a lot of sense that stuff like this will happen and continue to happen with advances in technology as they tend to go predominantly ignored and unaccounted for.
This makes a lot of sense to me. I've always considered the blood lust and anger that spreads through media coverage of certain trials to be very similar to mass hysteria. It's as if once a year the media Gods must be appeased with a sacrifice. The person they spotlight for their hatred may not die, but by the end of the coverage, the person has completely changed, and their previous way of life has been taken from them.
Could trends like cutting be fueled by similar principles as this Facebook mass hysteria? My impression is that it's kind of like a meme, but a poisonous one, that would nest itself only where it was welcome (ie people who are already predisposed to acts of self harm).
I don't know that much about cutting or similar disorders, but I have heard of things like pro-anorexia websites. It seems like these rare disorders could gain traction by connecting individuals to support groups where encouragement can flourish. It's a scary idea.