This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...occupation away from home. Some occupation is essential, and it should be one which will sufficiently engage the attention and interest without unduly exciting. Such occupations as needlework, &c., which allow introspection and day-dreaming, are not good. The study of music requires regulation; many of ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...occupation away from home. Some occupation is essential, and it should be one which will sufficiently engage the attention and interest without unduly exciting. Such occupations as needlework, &c., which allow introspection and day-dreaming, are not good. The study of music requires regulation; many of these patients have musical gifts, and these may be cultivated, unless music causes too great emotional fervour, and provided the hours devoted to practice are not too long. With regard to social pleasures, undue social excitement is of course bad, but within bounds, hysterical patients are the better for cheerful society, and frequent opportunities of meeting their friends. 2. GENERAL TREATMENT The above remarks also apply to patients who have already developed hysterical symptoms. It is often very difficult to find a suitable occupation for them; lack of decision and absence of definite tastes are the most frequent obstacles. Though philanthropic pursuits are often useful, these may be carried a great deal too far, and hysterical patients are not well adapted, as a rule, for visiting the sick and the poor. Especially is it necessary to restrain them if they are called upon to nurse a sick member of their own family; overstrain, combined with anxiety as to the event of the illness, is often the cause of a breakdown. A caution may also be given against the over-frequenting of religious missions or revivalistic services. A question much discussed is that of the advisability of marriage, in former times regarded almost as a panacea for hysteria, because the disorder was then considered to be of uterine origin, and advocated in more recent times, because until lately most other careers were closed to women, and they had not the same...
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