For whatever reason this reminded me of culture bound syndromes, illnesses which only occur within certain cultures thought to be caused by unique stresses and beliefs found only within that culture.
Reminds me I read once that the voices people with schizophrenia hear are kinder and funnier and more benevolent for those who don’t live in the industrialized West
I’d be interested to read that…the characteristics of someone’s hallucinations or delusions are 100% culturally bound and linked to their personal experience, but I don’t know if it’s as cut and dry as kinder and funnier in non-developed countries. I’ve encountered many folks with schizophrenia in the US who experienced psychosis they did not find in any way distressing, for example, and abuse and trauma also absolutely happen in all countries and will similarly contribute to fearful/frightening psychotic symptoms in all countries.
From what I hear the thing that helps or hurts is cultural understanding of what a disembodied voice is. If you start hearing voices and think demon you hear what demons would say, but if you think ancestors guiding you, you hear what you think they’d say.
Idk if alters from DID work similarly though
Penis stealing witches are a fun one https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/book-review-the-geography-of-madness
Now I’m sad that the article doesn’t mention the country I’m from :(
Fucking eurocentric medical community
Yep because as stated in the article it was believed that they don’t exist in European society for a long time
I just looked at that article and it lists examples from all over the world, including Africa, Asia, and the Middle East…
One of the first times I smoked weed I did it wrong and swallowed a bunch of smoke. I proceeded to get sick in the back seat of my friend’s car and started believing that my windpipe was made out of glass and if I turned my head it would shatter and slice my throat open. I still think about it sometimes, never knew it had a name!
Those dumb Neanderthals. I can’t believe we ever thought we were anything but cake.
