Culture bound syndrome
by aaron wright
A culture bound syndrome is also know as folk illness. It is a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms they are considered to be a recognizable disease but only within a specific culture. In a culture bound syndrome there are no objective biochemical or structural alterations of body organs or bodily functions. It is disease that is not recognized in other cultures just specific to a specific culture. A large amount of mental disorders are manifested and highly influenced at least partially by the culture in which they are found, some disorders are more culture-specific than others. Folk illnesses tend to carry psychological or religious overtones.
The culture bound syndrome mainly associated with native Americans is Windigo Psychosis is the culture bound syndrome associated with Native American Indians “The Windigo is a figure in Northern Algonquin mythology, a fierce supernatural cannibal able to infect humans and make them into cannibalistic creatures by turning their hearts into ice.Windigo Psychosis occurs when a person becomes filled with anxiety that they are becoming a Windigo, and may increasingly view those around them as edible.The person also complains of poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, and may become suicidal or homicidal.”
The culture bound syndrome mainly associated with native Americans is Windigo Psychosis is the culture bound syndrome associated with Native American Indians “The Windigo is a figure in Northern Algonquin mythology, a fierce supernatural cannibal able to infect humans and make them into cannibalistic creatures by turning their hearts into ice.Windigo Psychosis occurs when a person becomes filled with anxiety that they are becoming a Windigo, and may increasingly view those around them as edible.The person also complains of poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, and may become suicidal or homicidal.”