What is pibloktoq syndrome?
n. a culture-bound syndrome observed primarily in female Inuit and other arctic populations. Individuals experience a sudden dissociative period of extreme excitement in which they often tear off clothes, run naked through the snow, scream, throw things, and perform other wild behaviors.
What causes pibloktoq?
Traditional Inuit belief says pibloktoq is caused by spirits and may produce revelations. It is allowed to run its course without interference, unless there is a risk of real harm.
What is Siberian hysteria?
Travellers passing through the snowy deserts of extreme northeastern Siberia have more than once come across a nervous disorder, now most com- monly known as Arctic Hysteria. Medical science till now has known this disorder only by name. Psychology has practically not touched upon its peculiarities.
Is hysteria a culture bound syndrome?
Piblokto is a culture-specific hysterical reaction in Inuit, especially women, who may perform irrational or dangerous acts, followed by amnesia for the event. Piblokto may be linked to repression of the personality of Inuit women. The condition appears most commonly in winter.
What does Inuit mean in their language?
people
“Inuit,” meaning “people,” is used in Canada, and the language is called “Inuktitut” in eastern Canada although other local designations are used also.
What is a culture-bound illness?
Culture-bound syndrome is a broad rubric that encompasses certain behavioral, affective and cognitive manifestations seen in specific cultures. These manifestations are deviant from the usual behavior of the individuals of that culture and are a reason for distress/discomfort.
Who is hysteria?
In layman’s terms, hysteria is often used to describe emotionally charged behavior that seems excessive and out of control. When someone responds in a way that seems disproportionately emotional for the situation, they are often described as hysterical.
What is an example of culture-bound syndrome?
Another example of a culture-bound syndrome is hwa-byung in Korean women. In this syndrome, depression or suppressed anger may lead to complaints of an uncomfortable, yet nonpalpable, abdominal mass.
What are factors of culture-bound syndrome?
The syndrome is seen in Latin American and Latin Mediterranean groups. Dissociative experiences, seizures and fainting are also seen. It is often seen as a result of family stress.
Do Inuit still live in igloos?
Many people believe incorrectly that Inuit live only in igloos. This myth couldn’t be farther from the truth — Inuit use igloos almost exclusively as hunting camps. In fact, although most Inuit live in regular old houses now, igloos are still used for the occasional hunting trip.
Why do Inuit have dark skin?
The Inuit ( eskimo is considered derogatory by Northern people) originated in Asia, not Europe. Skin pigmentation can darken due to prolonged sun exposure, which increases in a landscape that is snow and ice covered, reflecting the sun.
Why do we need to know we are culture-bound?
Culture-bound syndromes provide a useful mirror for Western mental health professionals to examine their assumptions about the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. The DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) defines and states the following about culture-bound syndromes.
What is pibloktoq?
Piblokto, also known as pibloktoq and Arctic hysteria, is a condition most commonly appearing in Inughuit (Greenlandic Inuit) societies living within the Arctic Circle. Piblokto is a culture-specific hysterical reaction in Inuit, especially women, who may perform irrational or dangerous acts, followed by amnesia for the event.
What is piblokto in Inuit culture?
Piblokto is a culture-specific hysterical reaction in Inuit, especially women, who may perform irrational or dangerous acts, followed by amnesia for the event. Piblokto may be linked to repression of the personality of Inuit women. The condition appears most commonly in winter.
What is the pathophysiology of piblokto?
Piblokto may be linked to repression of the personality of Inuit women. The condition appears most commonly in winter. It is considered to be a form of a culture-bound syndrome, although more recent studies (see Skepticism section) question whether it exists at all.
Is Piblokto a mental illness?
Piblokto is also part of the glossary of cultural bound syndromes found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Piblokto was first documented in 1892 and reports by European explorers describe the phenomenon as common to all Arctic regions.