What is mass psychogenic illness?
Mass psychogenic illness is when groups of people (such as a class in a school or workers in an office) start feeling sick at the same time even though there is no physical or environmental reason for them to be sick.
Is mass psychogenic illness common?
Mass psychogenic illness has occurred for hundreds of years, all around the world and in many different social settings. No one keeps track of these outbreaks, but they are probably a lot more common than we realize.
Source
Mass Psychogenic Illness: Role of the Individual Physician by TF Jones, MD (American Family Physician December 15, 2000, http://www.aafp.org/afp/20001215/2649.html)
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff
Reviewed/Updated: 09/10
Created: 09/00