Culture-Bound Disorders

The text indicates that evidence of environmental effects on psychological disorder comes from links between culture and
disorder. Although some disorders such as schizophrenia and depression are worldwide, others are not. For example, anorexia
nervosa and bulimia nervosa are disorders that occur mostly in Western cultures. On the other hand, susto, marked by severe
anxiety, restlessness, and a fear of black magic is a disorder found only in Latin America. You can expand on this disorder as
well as other culture-bound disorders in class.

Susto is most likely to occur in infants and young children. In addition to anxiety and
restlessness, the disorder is often marked by depression, loss of weight, weakness, and
rapid heartbeat. Those within the culture claim that the susto is caused by contact with
supernatural beings or with frightening strangers, or even by bad air from cemeteries.
Treatment involves rubbing certain plants and animals against the skin.
Latah occurs among uneducated middle-aged or elderly women in Malaya. Unusual
circumstances (such as hearing someone say snake or even being tickled) produce a
fear response that is characterized by repeating the words and actions of other people,
uttering obscenities, and acting the opposite of what other people ask.
Koro is a pattern of anxiety found in Southeast Asian men. It involves the intense
fear that ones penis will withdraw into ones abdomen, causing death. Tradition
holds that koro is caused by an imbalance of yin and yang, two natural forces
thought to be the fundamental components of life. In one form of treatment, the
individual keeps a firm hold on his penis (often with the assistance of family
members) until the fear subsides. Another is to clamp the penis to a wooden box.
Amok, a disorder found in the Philippines, Java, and certain parts of Africa. It
occurs more often in men than in women. Those suffering the affliction jump
around violently, yell loudly, and attack objects and other people. These
symptoms are often preceded by social withdrawal and a loss of contact with
reality. The outburst is often followed by depression, then amnesia regarding the
symptomatic behavior. Within the culture, it is thought that stress, shortage of
sleep, alcohol consumption, and extreme heat are the primary causes.
Winigo, the intense fear of being turned into a cannibal by a supernatural
monster, was once common among Algonquin Indian hunters. Depression,
lack of appetite, nausea, and sleeplessness were common symptoms. This
disorder could be brought on by coming back from a hunting expedition
empty-handed. Ashamed of his failure, the hunter might fall victim to deep
and lingering depression. Some afflicted hunters actually did kill and eat
members of their own households.

Comer, R. J. (2001). Abnormal psychology (4th ed.). New York: Worth.