At the beginning of the twentieth century, "hysteria" was a medical or psychiatric diagnosis applied primarily to women. In fact, the term itself comes from the Greek, meaning "wandering womb." We have since learned, however, that this diagnosis evolved from certain assumptions about women's social roles and mental characteristics, and is no longer in use.

The modern equivalent of hysteria, however, may be borderline personality disorder, defined as "a pervasive pattern of instability of self-image, interpersonal relationships, and mood, beginning in early adulthood and present in a...