Grisi Siknis in Relation To Culturally Bound Syndromes
Joseph Westermeyer, Head of Psychiatry at Oklahoma University, states that a culturally bound syndrome is defined as “certain trance-like disturbances occur with unusual frequencies in certain societies”. These syndromes, he says, actually occur in a wide variety of cultures separated by great distance that have similar symptoms including “fear, anxiety, amnesia, aimless escape, psychophysiological symptoms, social withdrawal, behavioral deviance and nondirected violence”. However, these symptoms are not confined to culturally bound syndromes, as others, such as “personality disorder, neurasthenia, crisis/judgment disorders, organic brain syndromes, drug-induced delirium, major depression, mania, schizophreniform and schizophrenia” might constitute the true psychiatric diagnosis.” Because of these cross-cultural symptoms, it is argued that these syndromes are not necessarily unique ”. and that applying the term ‘culturally bound’ to them hampers science’s ability to explore them on the same level as other psychological problems. Outbreaks of these symptoms are sporadic and epidemic.” Some culturally bound syndromes, in addition to grisi siknis, include:
- Amok: Among Malay, Indonesian or Pacific Islander males
- Anthropophobia in Japan
- Bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa, among Western Euroamericans
- Cathard in Polynesia
- Chakore among Ngawbere of Panama
- Falling out, among African-Americans or in the Bahamas
- Fits in India
- Frenzy witchcraft (among the Navajo)
- Indisposition (disease) in Haiti
- Koro among Asian males
- Latah among Southeast Asian females
- Mal de pelea in Puerto Rico
- Pibloktoq or arctic hysteria among Inuit
- Wild-man behavior in New Guinea
According to the American Psychiatry Association, pibloktoq, “frenzy” witchcraft, chakore and amok, are all, like grisi siknis, classified as “running” syndromes, in that they contain “sudden high-level activity, trance-like state, potentially dangerous behavior in the form of running exhaustion, sleep amnesia”. It is generally applied to purposeless roving.
In addition, Dr. Richard Castillo, as quoted by Dr. C. George Boeree, believes that amok (with very similar symptoms to grisi siknis), pibloktoq, latah, “falling out”, “indisposition”, and the “fits” are all related to impulse control disorders, and thus are associated with trichotillomania, compulsive gambling, pyromania, and kleptomania in Western medicine.
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