Introduction
Certain mental illnesses are unique to cultures. They are recognizable only within a particular society, at a particular time. Such disorders are medically and anthropologically known as “culture-bound” or “culture specific” syndromes.
There are a number of fascinating culture-bound syndromes found around the world, and one such disorder is the Wendigo Psychosis. This mental condition is linked to Native American culture, specifically to certain northern tribes such as; Chippewa, Ojibwa, Cree, and Inuit.
The Psychosis was most popular in the 19th century, and was usually found to have developed during winter months when families were isolated due to heavy snowfall, and there was not enough food supplies to get them through the tough months.
Symptoms
The signs that point to the disorder were thought to be psychosomatic. Depression, distaste for ordinary foods leading to poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, a state of semi-stupor, are the initial symptoms of the Wendigo Psychosis. Once the symptoms set in, the victim’s
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From the case studies and witness accounts is was very clear that the individuals suffering from the disorder were not in the right state of mind. They perceived those around them to look like a variety of edible animals, and were deluded into craving human flesh. Their delusions, when serious, drove them to act out violently, and attack those around them.
Psychiatrists who have studied the disorder have also tried to explain it by applying other psychological conditions to it. Since one of the main causes for the psychosis is starvation, anorexia is seen to be associated. Individuals suffering from anorexia have been known to go through extreme and dramatic mood swings, as well as phases of insomnia. Linking these symptoms to the Wendigo, the delusions could have arisen due to insomnia, or they could have been acting on delusions because of extreme mood
Insanity is developed around through the story of “Night.” People were becoming crazy when they fighted for the food , loosing faith to God and nocturnal silence.
Paranoia, hallucinations, emotional withdrawal - . fFor victims of schizophrenia everyday life is a strange and terrifying journey. Schizophrenia shatters people’s ability to feel, to communicate, to understand or interact with the everyday world. The symptoms represent what we know best about the disease however no one knows exactly why it strikes, who the next victim will be and how to reverse its life ruining effects.
The vampire legend and many behaviors and experiences of schizophrenics seem to share many common traits. The traits that are most recognizable are "fears of being enclosed, periods of semistarvation or complete starvation, which can be associated with periodic gorging, reversal of the day-night cycle, and a preoccupation with or dread of mirrors" (Kayton 304). Though the term 'schizophrenia ' or 'demence precoce ' was only introduced in 1852 (Boyle 43), behaviors of people affected by this illness have been documented much earlier.
In the article entitled “Redefining mental illness” the author “Tanya Marie Luhrmann” stated that two months ago, the British Psychological Society released a significant report entitled “Understanding Psychosis and schizophrenia”, Its authors say that they're probably related to an accident, trauma or abuse, they also said that calling them symptoms of mental illness or psychosis is only one way of thinking about them”.
It was believed that patients who suffered symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech and behaviour, and other symptoms that cause social or occupational dysfunction; characterised as Schizophrenia in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), were said to be suffering from demonic possession, mental retardation, or from exposure to poisonous materials. During this time there was no social support systems such as community based treatment like we have today. In addition, treatments that where available where barbaric and ineffective in helping the
Within this case study, there is a clear dissonance between a culturally-competent, anthropologically-accurate diagnosis and a psychiatric diagnosis. While the patient is clearly suffering from a form of Depression (most specifically, Major Depressive Disorder), her original diagnosis of neurasthenia speaks to the influence of culture on the presentation and understanding of one’s illness. The patient hails from south-central China, in the Hunan Province, and this background ultimately informs her disorder.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, schizophrenia is characterized by the development of two or more symptoms of the following symptoms in a one-month period. The symptoms most characteristic of schizophrenia are delusions, hallucinations, and/or disorganized speech. Schizophrenia has always been a disorder shrouded in mystery. There have been many hypotheses from varying perspectives proposing different sources of causation for schizophrenia. Some of these hypotheses have considerable amounts of research, while some lack support. To fully comprehend and appreciate the disorder, it is important to take into consideration its history. In this way, the full extent to which each branch of the disorder has developed can be
According to the Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary, Wendigo psychosis (also spelled “Windigo psychosis” or “Witiko psychosis”) is defined as “a delusion of having been transformed into a Wendigo, a mythical monster that eats human flesh” (Concise Medical Dictionary). This disorder was first diagnosed in the early 20th century by J. E. Saindon. Symptoms of the disorder include “melancholia, anorexia, insomnia, and hallucinations … and the desire to eat human flesh” symptoms that correlate with those of depressive disorders and psychotic depression (Hay 2).
For many millennia psychological disorders, also called mental disorders have been misunderstood. Used to, people suffering from such disorders were thought to be demonically possessed or they were accused of being a witch. Many of these unfortunate people were burned, tortured, or locked up away from society, which was torturous in itself due to the deprivation of life sustaining necessities such as food and air that patients were forced to endure (Morris and Maisto, 2002).
The symptoms of mental disorders are found in all nations and in all cultures; there are recognizable symptoms that are common worldwide. Mental health researchers have not yet been able to determine whether culture bound syndromes are indicative of one or more possibilities that include distinct disorders that exist only in specific cultures, and reflect different ways in which individuals from different cultures express mental illness, as well as reflecting different ways in which the social and cultural environment interact with genes to produce disorders, or any combination of these. (pp. 101)
It is a frightening disorder that strikes about one percent of the world population. It surfaces most frequently during puberty and has the potential to forever destroy the lives of the people who are unfortunate enough to be its victim. The disorder is schizophrenia and it manifests itself by disturbing normal psychiatric behavior. The symptoms of schizophrenia are characterized by both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and other unusual or disorganized behavior. Unresponsiveness, lack of activity, and loss of interest characterize negative symptoms. Though it is possible for doctors to diagnose and treat patients with schizophrenia, the causes of schizophrenia are
Schizophrenia has been around for many years. It was first discovered in the nineteenth century by Dr. Emil Kraepelin. According to the article “Schizophrenia: A Brief history,” Dr. Emil Kraepelin “was the director of the psychiatric clinic at the University of Estonia.” When he first discovered schizophrenia he called it Dementia Praecox. The first person to call it schizophrenia was Eugen Bleuler. The first part of the word “schizo” means split and “phrene” means mind. This describes the way that people with schizophrenia think. He worked to develop a way to diagnose the disease. It is believed that Schizophrenia is a cross between diseases like autism and the bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia is a mental illness that causes people to have
This disorder can also cause physical symptoms such as: headaches, agitation, lethargy, stomach aches, palpitations, and twitching. Behavior symptoms can include: changes in eating and sleeping habits, difficulty concentrating, and isolation, missing work, and engaging in destructive and harmful behavior.
Psychosis can be identified but parallel to the mood disorders, uncommon psychiatric manifestations of AIDS. Most commonly, psychosis was found in patients with AIDS related neurocognitive impairments. It is a symptom rather than the diagnosis and also includes patients with mania, depression, schizophrenia, and delirium (Hinkin, Castellon, Goodkin, 2001).it has been remain to be seen whether AIDS mania and new-onset psychosis in the later stages of AIDS are different manifestations of the same process of different neuropsychiatric process.
Psychosis is a symptom included in many psychological diseases. In the premature stages of psychoses, it is problematic to diagnose the patient with a specific type of psychosis.