Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Slide 12
Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism:
TICs & TIMs
Be Careful What You Call It!
• Condescending terms
– Negative connotations
– Hysteria implies individual is to blame for illness
• Of course, physicians cannot have mass
psychogenic illness
– 1955 hospital epidemic with 300 affected
• Once medical staff became affected, condition labeled as
“epidemic benign myalgic encephalomyelitis ”
Module One – Observed Behaviors during Mass Chemical Exposures
12
Our mental health colleagues warn us that the use of the term ‘hysteria’ has negative
connotations. It implies that the individual is purposely causing the problems. “So you
think it is all in my head” Thus the use in DSM, while medically acceptable, may not be
externally acceptable.
In 1955 a hospital epidemic occurred with 300 individuals affected. Once the medical
staff became affected, the condition was labeled as “epidemic benign myalgic
encephalomyelitis.” Physicians may liberally use the term “mass (or epidemic) hysteria”
but in this particular incident, they quickly renamed it to avoid being accused of being
hysterical themselves.
December 2008 Version 2.0 Page 438