Mass in an Culture

Yousreya Amin, Emad Hamdi and Valsamma Eapen
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Yousreya Amin: Al-Ain Hospital, Ministry of Health, UAE
Emad Hamdi: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UAE University
Valsamma Eapen: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UAE University

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 1997, vol. 43, issue 4, 303-306

Abstract: In this report we describe the circumstances surrounding an outbreak of mass hysteria among first year female university students. The outbreak was precipitated by a state of panic over the possibility of a fire which turned out to be harmless fumes from a locally used burning perfume. Twenty-three cases presented to the emergency room with symptoms of respiratory distress associated with marked emotional reactions. The outbreak was controlled by separating the patients, and the lack of media coverage facilitated this process. Cases with persistent and severe symptoms were those having physical and psychological problems prior to the occurrence of the outbreak. Individual vulnerability factors deserve special consideration in the management of mass hysteria since they are likely to influence the response to treatment.

Date: 1997
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:43:y:1997:i:4:p:303-306

DOI: 10.1177/002076409704300408

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