[New mask of hysteria: three case reports]

ABSTRACT

Hysteria is a polymorphous manifestation pathology in which unconscious psychic conflicts convert symbolically into somatic and psychic symptoms. When patients used to express their symptoms mostly in motor register, we are assisting progressively to the emergence of a new expressive mode of this disease. In fact, passional attitudes of the "Great hysteria" of Charcot and Richer have become exceptional, replaced by rich and sometimes confusing psychic symptoms. We report three cases of patients with hysteria hospitalized in the department of psychiatry E at the Razi hospital of Tunis. All three patients had presented a rich psychological symptoms and confusing, looking psychotic. Some semiological characteristics and the projective personality tests have allowed us to bring the diagnosis of hysteria. Hysteria expression seems to change constantly with epochs, cultures, society evolutions and medical knowledge progress