In 1988, the US Navy evacuated 600 men from barracks in San Diego, California, after 119 sailors were sent to hospitals with complaints of breathing difficulty. An extensive investigation found no evidence of toxins, food poisoning, or any other environmental cause, leading to the conclusion that the incident was a case of mass hysteria. The event highlighted the vulnerability of closed communities to psychogenic illness.

The San Diego naval barracks hysteria has been referenced in works that explore the psychology of fear in military settings and the power of suggestion in closed communities. The event has inspired writers to examine the dynamics of collective anxiety and the role of stress in triggering physical symptoms. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of critical thinking in the face of unexplained phenomena, a theme that resonates in contemporary literature.