Hysterical A Memoir Elissa Bassist by Elissa Bassist 9780306827396, 0306827395 instant download after payment.

"In her impassioned debut memoir, essayist and humour writer Bassist rails against the systemic misogyny and patriarchy that silence women’s voices and, for her, became embodied as pain... A sharp examination of life in “a culture where men speak and women shut up.”  -  Kirkus Reviews

Throughout the first half of President [BLEEP]'s term, Elissa Bassist saw seventeen medical professionals, joining millions of American women who suffer from indescribable chronic pain. She consulted a psychologist, psychiatrist, ophthalmologist, neurologist, radiologist, psychopharmacologist, allergist, Ear/Nose/Throat specialist, gastroenterologist, orthopedic hand surgeon, occupational therapist, physical therapist, massage therapist, acupuncturist, herbalist, and an obsessive-compulsive disorder specialist. 

Today's mind-body doctors theorize that some physical pain is, in fact, repressed emotional pain finding expression, that emotions pile up in the unconscious, going unarticulated until they hit max capacity and tell the brain to create physical symptoms. When the mind denies itself language, it gives the body pain. If you don't share your story, your pain will tell it for you. 

"This book is not a nagging rant by any means. Bassist is much too good for that. She takes us on this wild and uncomfortable ride with ease thanks to her incredible wit and humour to help us not to scream at the top of our lungs - which Bassist would probably be ok with or encourage..."  -  Carissa Chesanek, Brooklyn Rail

Hysterical: A Memoir is inspired by Elissa's own journey to reclaim her authentic voice in a culture that weaponizes silence, noise, and language against women.