Culture refers to the “way of life” or the way groups of people do things. It includes customs, traditions, values, concepts, rules, practices and a body of knowledge acquired over time and transmitted from generation to generation through learning. Culture is important from a psychiatric perspective because it influences the psychopathology of various psychiatric disorders, how symptoms are perceived, explained, and where help is sought. Some psychiatric syndromes are thought to be limited to specific cultures. These disorders are called culture-specific or culture-bound syndromes, that is, conditions usually confined to a certain cultural group or a geographic region with similar cultural groups. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Yap first defined culture-bound psychogenic psychoses in 1962. This term was modified by him 7 years later to culture-bound syndromes. In 1992, ICD-10 used the term “culture-specific disorders.” In the DSM-IV-TR, culture-bound syndromes were considered locally specific, recurring patterns of aberrant behavior and troubling experiences, which may or may not be linked to a particular DSM-IV diagnostic category. The following characteristics were considered crucial. for culture-bound syndromes according to DSM-IV-TR (2000): Diseases or afflictions considered indigenous – considered a deviation from a normal or healthy presentation. Local names – the experience of mental distress is given a specific local name, often in the indigenous language or key of communication. Symptoms, course and social response are often influenced by local cultural factors. Limited to specific societies or cultural areas – this could be a geographic region, areas with a common history or ethnic identity. Localized – experiences that are not recognized globally or spanning different regions. The DSM-5 rejected the concept of culture-bound syndromes with a preference for the term “cultural concepts of distress.” The ways in which cultural groups experience, understand, and communicate suffering, behavioral problems, or troubling thoughts and emotions are called cultural concepts of distress. Thus, rather than culturally distinct symptom configurations, culture-bound syndromes are actually clinically important cultural differences in the explanations or experience of distress. Name Region Clinical Features Associated Conditions in Other Cultural Contexts Attack of nervios Latino descent • Feeling of being out of control. Intense emotional disturbances, Screaming and screaming uncontrollably, crying fits, shaking, Heat in the chest rising to the head, Becoming verbally and physically aggressive. Usually occurs after a stressful event concerning the family, for example the announcement of the death of a close relative, conflicts with the spouse or children, witnessing an accident involving a family member. Indisposition (Haiti), fainting (southern United States), fall (West Indies)Dhat syndrome South Asia Term first used by Dr. NN Wig. Nocturnal emissions cause severe anxiety and hypochondria. Patients often experience: generalized weakness, aches and pains throughout the body, tingling and numbness in various parts of the body, especially in the periphery, fatigueeasy, weariness, loss of appetite, weight loss, loss of attention and concentration, excessive worry, panic attacks, sad mood, forgetfulness, feelings of guilt (especially towards masturbation in adolescence), sexual complaints (premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction). The patient attributes it to the discharge of whitish discharge, presumably semen (Dhat), in the urine. Treatment includes counseling as well as sex education, to eliminate misconceptions about loss of sperm, fears about masturbation and nocturnal emissions. Koro (Southeast Asia), shen-k'uei or kidney failure (China)Khyâl cap CambodiaSymptoms of panic attacks (dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, cold extremities);symptoms of autonomic arousal (tinnitus, neck pain) Pem lom (Laos), srong rlung gi nad (Tibet), vata (Srilanka), hwa byung (Korea)Kufungisisa Zimbabwe “Thinking too much” Anxiety symptoms Panic attacks Depressive symptoms Irritability Queer brain (Nigeria)Maladi moun The Haitian community “sent illness” Interpersonal envy and malice drive people to harm their enemies by sending them illnesses such as psychosis, depression, social and academic failure, and the inability to perform daily activities. Mal de oj (Spanish), mal'occhiu (Italian) (Evil Eye)Nervios Latinos Refers to a general state of vulnerability in the face of stressful and difficult life experiences. Symptoms include: Headaches and occipital neck tension “brain pains” Irritability Stomach upset Difficulty sleeping Nervousness Tears easily Inability to concentrate Tremors Tingling sensation Nerva (Greeks in North America), nierbi (Sicilians in North America North), nerves (Appalachian and Newfoundland whites) Shenjing shuairuo China “Weakness of the nervous system. According to traditional interpretation, this occurs when the body's channels (jing) carrying life forces (shen) become dysregulated due to social and interpersonal stressors. Symptoms include: Weakness and mental fatigue Irritability Headaches Insomnia Anxiety symptoms Ashaktapanna (India), shinkei-suijaku (Japan) 8 Susto Mexico, Central America, South America, Latinos in the United States Illness attributed to a frightening event which causes the soul to leave the body and brings unhappiness and illness. Symptoms include: Appetite disturbance Insufficient or excessive sleep Troubled sleep/dreams Somatic symptoms Feelings of sadness, worthlessness, or dirtiness Interpersonal sensitivity Lack of motivation Espanto (Andean region) Taijin kyofush Japan “Interpersonal fear disorder” Anxiety and avoidance of interpersonal situations due to thinking, feeling, or believing that one's appearance and actions in social situations are inappropriate or offensive to others. Tein kong po (Korea) Other culture-related syndromes not included in DSM 5: Amok: Usually seen in Southeast Asia (Malaysia). It is characterized by a sudden, unprovoked episode of rage in which the affected person runs around (lashes out) and indiscriminately harms or kills anyone they meet along the way. Koro: This culture-related syndrome is observed in Asia. , including India. The affected man believes that his penis shrinks and may disappear into his abdominal wall and that he may die. In rare cases, women may be affected, with the corresponding belief that their breasts and/or vulva are shrinking. Koro is generally based on cultural fears regarding nocturnal emissions and masturbation. It often tends to spread quickly to other members of the community in an epidemic form. Wihtigo (Windigo)).