While this exact ad for Calm-a-Lot tranquilizers with the line “Is your wife getting hysterical again?” is actually not real. It was made up recently to look like a 1950s ad to convey how people thought giving women pills to keep her calm were real. The real thought was the attitude behind it. In the 1950s, doctors handed out tranquilizers like Miltown to housewives like candy for “nerves,” anxiety, or just feeling overwhelmed with kids and housework. Husbands and ads really did push the idea that a pill would keep her calm, cheerful, and ready to smile when he got home. The 1950s really were a man’s world, women stayed home raising kids, and a lot of men didn’t think women were fit to make big decisions. When a wife got overwhelmed or cranky, doctors would just write a prescription for tranquilizers like Miltown to keep her calm and quiet. It was sold as helping her be a better wife and mother, but really it was about keeping her manageable so the husband didn’t have to deal with her feelings or complaints. Those pills were handed out like candy to housewives. It’s wild how normal that was back then. The strange part of this is many suburban wives today are still reaching for sedatives or a Xanax to calm themselves down. Women have come a long way since the 50s but some appear to prefer the 50s lifestyle.