Listen Now: Hysterical
Digest
In 2011, a group of high school cheerleaders in LeRoy, New York, began experiencing strange neurological symptoms, including twitches, tics, and outbursts. The initial suspicion fell on environmental factors like mold or contaminated water, but the cause remained elusive. A young woman's YouTube video detailing her own experience with similar symptoms brought attention to the outbreak and revealed a potential contagious element. The video sparked responses from others in the town experiencing the same symptoms, suggesting a possible connection between them. The LeRoy outbreak attracted media attention and the involvement of prominent figures like Aaron Brockovich, who lent their expertise to investigate potential environmental causes. However, the community faced uncertainty and suspicion, with some doubting the validity of the symptoms and accusing those affected of faking for attention. The episode ends with the question of what exactly is causing the outbreak, leaving the mystery unresolved.
Outlines
The Mysterious Outbreak in LeRoy, New York
In 2011, a group of high school cheerleaders in LeRoy, New York, began experiencing strange neurological symptoms, including twitches, tics, and outbursts. Parents and school officials initially suspected environmental factors like mold or contaminated water, but the cause remained elusive.
The LeRoy Outbreak: A Community in Crisis
The podcast features a YouTube video posted by a young woman in 2011, detailing her own experience with unexplained neurological symptoms. She describes twitches, involuntary movements, and a feeling of being unable to control her body. Her video serves as a starting point for the investigation into the LeRoy outbreak, revealing a potential contagious element as others with similar symptoms come forward.
The Search for Answers and the Rise of Doubt
The LeRoy outbreak attracts media attention and the involvement of prominent figures like Aaron Brockovich. The community grapples with uncertainty and suspicion, as some doubt the validity of the symptoms and accuse those affected of faking for attention. The episode ends with the question of what exactly is causing the outbreak.
Keywords
LeRoy, New York
A small town in New York state that became the center of a mysterious neurological outbreak in 2011. The outbreak affected primarily high school cheerleaders, leading to widespread media attention and investigation.
Mass Hysteria
A psychological phenomenon characterized by the rapid spread of irrational fears, anxieties, and behaviors within a group. The LeRoy outbreak was initially suspected to be a case of mass hysteria, but the true cause remained unclear.
Aaron Brockovich
A renowned environmental activist and legal advocate known for her work on the Erin Brockovich case. Brockovich became involved in the LeRoy outbreak, lending her expertise to investigate potential environmental causes.
Neurological Symptoms
The symptoms experienced by the cheerleaders in LeRoy, including twitches, tics, strange outbursts, and involuntary movements, which pointed to a neurological issue.
Contagious Element
The possibility that the symptoms experienced by the cheerleaders in LeRoy could be contagious, as evidenced by the spread of similar symptoms among other individuals in the town.
Environmental Factors
The initial focus on potential environmental causes for the outbreak, such as mold or contaminated water sources, which were investigated but ultimately ruled out as the primary cause.
Uncertainty and Suspicion
The atmosphere of doubt and mistrust that arose within the community during the outbreak, with some questioning the validity of the symptoms and accusing those affected of faking for attention.
Q&A
What were the initial symptoms experienced by the cheerleaders in LeRoy?
The cheerleaders exhibited a range of neurological symptoms, including twitches, tics, strange outbursts, and involuntary movements.
Why did the community initially suspect environmental factors as the cause of the outbreak?
The initial focus on environmental factors stemmed from concerns about potential contaminants like mold or contaminated water sources in the school buildings.
How did the young woman's YouTube video contribute to the investigation?
The video provided a platform for others experiencing similar symptoms to come forward, revealing the potential contagious nature of the outbreak and expanding the scope of the investigation.
What were some of the challenges faced by the community during the outbreak?
The community grappled with uncertainty, suspicion, and doubt, as some questioned the validity of the symptoms and accused those affected of faking for attention.
What is the current understanding of the cause of the LeRoy outbreak?
The cause of the LeRoy outbreak remains unknown, despite extensive investigation and speculation.
Show Notes
Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other seemingly inexplicable events of the last few years – CIA officers being crippled with nausea and vertigo; cops OD'ing from exposure to fentanyl – and discovers they’re far more connected than we realize.
From Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, this 7-part series forces us to grapple with the mysteries of our own minds, and reckon with a contagion that we thought was long dead, but may be the defining disorder of our time.
Follow Hysterical on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ at wondery.fm/Hysterical_FD.
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