Selected papers on hysteria and other psychoneurosesFreud, Sigmund
Science
Selected papers on hysteria and other psychoneuroses
Freud, Sigmund
Hysteria; Neuroses; Psychoanalysis
About a year after this hypnotic remedial success the condition of Mrs.
Cäcilie M. took a new and surprising turn. There suddenly appeared other
states than those that had been characteristic of the last years, but
after some reflection the patient declared that all these conditions had
existed in her before and were really scattered over the long period of
her disease (thirty years). Indeed a surprising abundance of hysterical
incidents were unrolled which the patient was able to localize correctly
in the past and soon the frequently very entangled thought connections
which determined the sequence of these incidents became recognizable. It
was like a series of pictures with an explanatory text. Pitres, on
describing his délire ecmnésique must have had in mind a similar case.
The way such a hysterical condition belonging to the past was reproduced
was most remarkable. In the first place while the patient was in the
best of condition there appeared a pathological mood of special coloring
which was regularly mistaken by the patient and was referred to a banal
occurrence of the last hours. This increasing obnubilation of
consciousness was followed by hysterical symptoms, such as
hallucinations, pains, convulsions, and long declamations, and finally
an event of the past attached itself to this hallucinatory manifestation
which could explain the initial mood and determine the occasional
symptoms. With this last part of the attack lucidity returned, the
ailments disappeared as if by magic and good health again existed—until
the next attack which was half a day later. Usually I was called at the
height of this condition. I produced hypnosis, evoked a reproduction of
the traumatic events, and by artificial aid I curtailed the attack.
Having gone through with the patient many hundreds of such cycles, I
obtained the most instructive explanations concerning the determinants
of hysterical symptoms. The joint observation with Breuer of this
remarkable case was also the chief motive for the publication of our
“Preliminary Communication.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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