A riveting exploration of the link between women's hormones and mental
health--with advice, personal testimony, facts, and research creating a
portrait of how hormones contribute to make up the "female animal"
Hysterical seeks to explore the connections between hormones and
health, particularly in the frequent mood changes and mental health
issues women typically chalk up to the influence of hormones.
Journalist Eleanor Morgan investigates the relationship between
biochemistry, our bodies, and our mental health, including the context
for this discussion: the historic culture of silence around women's
bodies. As Morgan argues, we've gotten better at talking about mental
health, but we still shy away from discussing periods, miscarriage,
endometriosis, and menopause. That results in a lack of vital
understanding for women, particularly as those processes are
inextricably connected to our mental health; by exploring women's bodies
in conjunction with our minds, Morgan urges for new thinking about our
health.
Examining the mythology of female hormones, the ways that culture shapes
our perceptions of women's bodies, and the latest medical research,
Hysterical skillfully paints a portrait of the modern landscape of
women and health--and shows us how to navigate stigma and
misinformation.
