The recent episode focused on decoding the ‘crazy’ label and how it affects women’s mental and emotional well-being
“Raise your hand if you’ve ever been called crazy or hysterical,” she said Meghan Markle in the fifth episode of her podcast, “Archetypes”. “Me too, and it’s no wonder when you think about how prevalent these labels are in our culture,” he said.
The recent episode “Archetypes,” released via Spotify and Archewell Audio, focused on deconstructing the “crazy” label and how it affects women’s mental and emotional well-being.
Markle was joined by actresses Jenny Slate, Aparna Nancherla, Constance Wu and Deepika Padukone and doctor Nadine Burke Harris, who shared their thoughts on how the term “crazy” and various similar labels work with destructive power in life. of the people.
The episode opened with a little flashback to the history of the word “hysterical” – a word so often used to dismiss, minimize or denigrate women.
The word “hysteria” is deeply associated with womanhood, even from its original use. Markle noted that the word comes from the ancient Greek word for “womb,” and Plato described it as a living creature. Hippocrates, following Plato’s example, gave the theory of the “wandering womb” believing that the womb traveled around the body, putting pressure on other organs and therefore causing “erratic and unreliable behavior” in women.
The term’s misogynistic tendencies didn’t stop there, as Markle explains that “hysteria was a medical diagnosis until 1980” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a primary tool used by doctors to evaluate and diagnose mental disorders. disturbances.
“It’s a definition created by a man,” Slate commented on the episode. “It’s a definition that’s meant to shame and limit a certain kind of emotion,” arguing that when one’s emotions and concerns are systematically dismissed, people often begin to doubt themselves and ignore their emotions and health.
“The stigma around that word also has a silencing effect,” Markle said.
Wu agreed and shared her own experience.
“I spent so much of my life trying to repress the emotional side, that, you know, it would come out in fits and bursts … the repression doesn’t just go away, it goes somewhere.”
Wu recalled an “emotional outburst” that came after years of repression surrounding the sexual harassment and bullying she allegedly experienced on the set of her sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat.” Following the announcement that the show would be renewed for a sixth season, Wu tweeted her disappointment and received backlash on social media for her views. The continued criticism contributed to Wu’s suicide attempt, which she recounted in her memoir “Making a Scene,” and a break from social media and public life. Now, Wu said she is learning to find the tools to manage and embrace her emotions, rather than repressing them.
Dr. Burke Harris said: “Even today doctors don’t believe women when it comes to their symptoms even if it’s a heart attack. When women go into a hospital, there’s a greater chance that their symptoms won’t be taken as seriously, and I think that all goes back to the concept of the hysterical woman.”
Dr. Burke Harris spoke of medical gaslighting – when medical professionals dismiss their patients’ feelings or symptoms and attribute their problems to “stress” or other psychological causes.
* Warning: this post contains references to suicide
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
