Documentary · Audible | Pineapple Street Studios
by Audible | Pineapple Street Studios
Named 2025 Ambies© Podcast of the Year, 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. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Hysterical ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.
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I lost my dad to fentanyl (Med Examiner certified, you won’t see any magical touch or cloud breathing claims from me, LOL) in 2022 and have never had peace about his death, worrying he suffered. Wholly unexpectedly, your podcast has given me the peace I’ve been missing since his addiction won. Thank you for debunking and sharing such an insightful and interesting podcast. And thank you for helping to close a chapter of my grief.
The story is so captivating and fascinating! The narrator was wonderful, I enjoyed every episode and how thoroughly they explained everything.
Dan is a good storyteller and I appreciate how he looks at multiple sides of the problem. He avoids black and white thinking while also giving useful information. Very thought-provoking.
Congratulations on another fine podcast, Dan. And congratulations on your retirement. Happy for you but sad for us. Your reporting is always thorough, nonjudgmental, and a source of important knowledge. Pseudo-diagnoses are misunderstood and patients are mostly treated poorly. I hope listeners understand now just how complex these conditions are.
This was entertaining at first but ended up really frustrating, tangential, and the reporter clearly wanted to find a specific answer, rather than relying on the evidence. He never connected topics he spent entire episodes on (toxic chemicals near the school), disregarded the fact that he interviewed people whose symptoms started before they even knew this was happening in their town, he dismissed the dangers of fentanyl, and disregarded what blood tests showed…all so he could end with a conclusion that all of this was more likely a case of mass hysteria. Don’t waste your time (and ours) spreading misinformation and exploring topics you’re not going to tie together if you’re ultimately going to be just another male dismissing women’s health concerns.
There is an extensively researched and documented 60 minutes episode on Havana Syndrome with evidence that Russia is behind these attacks. Interviews with victims of these attacks show they have permanent debilitating damage. Havana syndrome is NOT psychological. Incorrect info.
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