Hysteria
Part of speech: noun
Definition: Behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic. A mental disorder characterized by emotional excitability etc. without an organic cause.
Example sentence: I held a conference in Harvard where Americans said they didn't believe in risk. They thought it was just European hysteria. Then the terrorist attacks happened and there was a complete conversion. Suddenly terrorism was the central risk.
Frenzy
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A state of wild activity or panic.
Example sentence: My mother was a great storyteller and a great historian in her own way. She only made it to third grade. She came from Mexico City at the tail end of the Mexican Revolution and that kind of turmoil and chaos and frenzy and also excitement.