Is Your Cultural Background Putting You at a Greater Risk of a Mental Disorder?

Is your cultural background putting you at a greater risk of a mental disorder?


There are many factors that impact one’s chances of having a mental disorder- many are biological, and others environmental. A few days back, I came across a Facebook post talking about “Arctic Hysteria,” a mental illness found only in Eskimos. Extremely skeptical about this information and source, I researched more about the disorder and learnt about various mental illnesses that are particular to a few cultures. And hey, Scoopwhoop was correct (I’m shocked too!) about Pibloktoq, or Arctic Hysteria, which has become a designation for a group of “hysterical” symptoms which may affect adult Eskimo men and women at any time. 

This syndrome is peculiar to the Inuit tribe living in the Arctic region, and hence the name. There are no single and recurring symptoms, which makes every case unique. What is common however, are a series of reactive patterns, any number of which may combine with other symptoms in each seizure performance. The “sufferers,” if we may call them, often become agitated, shouting and tearing off their clothes before running naked in the freezing temperatures. This continues for hours until they collapse and sleep it off. They have recovered by the time they wake up. The Inuit believe that Pibloktoq is the result of someone becoming possessed by a spirit. As a result, victims are often left alone unless they endanger themselves. Researchers believe that Pibloktoq is caused by several factors, including the fat of animals eaten by the Inuit and a lack of vitamin A. The extremely cold weather is also considered to be a possible factor. European sailors stranded in the Arctic region in the 19th century suffered from the illness, and so do the sled dogs of the Inuit. 

Grisi Siknis is another culture specific mental disorder which affects the Miskito population of Nicaragua. The people affected remain in coma-like state until they suddenly burst into a fit of rage. Grisi siknis often affects groups of tribesmen at once.In Western medicine, it is believed to be a form of mass hysteria and is often treated with anticonvulsant drugs and antidepressants, which never work. Members of the Miskito tribe believe that Grisi Siknis is the after-effect of a curse and often turn to traditional healers for treatment. Investigations conducted after an outbreak in the 1950s concluded that it is just hallucinations. Apparently, someone deliberately added hallucinogenic drugs into the tribe’s water supply. 

Amafufunyana is a disease unique to the Zulus and the Xhosas of South Africa. It often involves a person’s stomach speaking a language that the person doesn’t understand. Among the Xhosas, for instance, there are claims that the stomach speaks Zulu. The stomach also delivers threats and dishes out orders to the victim. One woman’s stomach told her that she would never have a child. It also threatened to afflict her with seizures and kill her. Another girl was told to jump in front of a moving car. Sufferers often experience nightmares, fatigue, and sleep difficulties. They also become angry, highly agitated, and prone to suicide. Sometimes, they even start talking in another voice. Between 1981 and 1983, Amafufunyana affected over 400 schoolchildren in South Africa. The pupils suffered swollen stomachs and started running about, kicking chairs and desks. Their stomachs reportedly spoke Zulu, saying they were sent to possess the children. 

Running amok is considered a rare culture-bound syndrome by current psychiatric classification systems, but there is evidence that it occurs frequently in modern industrialized societies. Psychotic illnesses, personality disorders, and mood disorders are all possible causes of amok. In English, the phrase “(to) run amok” refers to the act of behaving in a wild and unruly manner. Or rather, it means “to go crazy.” This illness is peculiar to the natives of Malaysia, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. A person suffering from “running amok” exhibits violent and unpredictable behaviors and may even commit suicide. Running amok has been documented for about 200 years and is regarded as a mental disorder in Western medicine. It is believed to be a consequence of the isolation of the native tribes and is compounded by their spiritual beliefs. However, natives believe that it is caused by a spirit taking over the body. The only cure for running amok is to kill the victim. This is dangerous because the victim will also attempt to murder the person trying to kill him. Another treatment is to just let the patient be. If he does not commit suicide, he could recover. However, the patient often develops amnesia and cannot remember all that happened. 

The last culture-specific disorder that I would like to mention in this post is Hikikomori, which is found in Japanese youth. It refers to withdrawal that kicks in when the youth isolates themselves and locks up in a room for months, doing nothing. Some young people even exhibit traits of obsessive-compulsive disorder and repeatedly clean their rooms or cut themselves. Most victims are at least 25 years old, and 80 percent are male. Sociologists believe that Hikikomori is caused by Western influence on the Japanese labor market. Ideally, Japanese students get jobs immediately after graduating from college and remain there for the rest of their lives. However, some break this cycle and get jobs after high school or do not get jobs immediately after graduating from college. When this happens, they find it difficult to return to the same level as their colleagues who did not break the cycle. A study sponsored by the Japanese government revealed that 236,000 Japanese suffered from Hikikomori in 2010. The government does not really understand the disease. It funded research that only caused more confusion because it couldn’t even give a proper definition of the disease. The lack of classification means that victims do not get effective treatment.

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Gussow Z. (1985) Pibloktoq (Hysteria) Among the Polar Eskimo. In: Simons R.C., Hughes C.C. (eds) The Culture-Bound Syndromes. Culture, Illness, and Healing (Studies in Comparative Cross-Cultural Research), vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht

Dennis P.A. (1985) Grisi Siknis in Miskito Culture. In: Simons R.C., Hughes C.C. (eds) The Culture-Bound Syndromes. Culture, Illness, and Healing (Studies in Comparative Cross-Cultural Research), vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht

Niehaus D, J, H, Oosthuizen P, Lochner C, Emsley R, A, Jordaan E, Mbanga N, I, Keyter N, Laurent C, Deleuze J, -F, Stein D, J: A Culture-Bound Syndrome ‘Amafufunyana’ and a Culture-Specific Event ‘Ukuthwasa’: Differentiated by a Family History of Schizophrenia and other Psychiatric Disorders. Psychopathology 2004;37:59-63. doi: 10.1159/000077579

Saint Martin, M. L. (1999). Running Amok: A Modern Perspective on a Culture-Bound Syndrome. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 1(3), 66–70.

Teo, A. R., & Gaw, A. C. (2010). Hikikomori, A Japanese Culture-Bound Syndrome of Social Withdrawal? A Proposal for DSM-V. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 198(6), 444–449. http://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181e086b1