In many parts of the world, there are mental disorders that modern psychiatry would describe as a reaction to the stress experienced, dissociative and other disorders. The richness and variety of these can be astonishing and fascinating. They have counterparts among different peoples. The most typical ones are described below.

Koro

A disorder described in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sudan and Israel.
In humans, there is an acute and overwhelming fear of death due to retraction of the penis deep into the abdomen or loss of semen in men, and breasts deep into the chest in women. This condition may be preceded by excessive mating. The genital organs and semen are regarded by tribal peoples as the centre of life force. The family of a man suffering from Koro uses a variety of grips to hold the penis preventing its loss. The condition can last from a few hours to several days.

Susto

A disorder found among Latin American peoples.
It consists of the fear of "losing one's soul". This loss can be the result of someone's 'evil eye', sorcery, magic or the action of demons. Prolonged anxiety can lead to loss of interest, anorexia, loss of activity, increased body temperature and even cachexia and death.

Enchantment

Cases of enchantment have been described in Nigeria.
It involves a belief in impotence caused by a witch doctor. Such a belief is accompanied by anxiety, lowered mood and various vegetative symptoms of anxiety.

Frigophobia (Pa-leng)

Described in areas of China and Japan.
Fear of the cold leads people to put on multiple layers of clothing. This occurs not necessarily in winter. The disorder can lead to death due to exhaustion.

Ufufuyane

A disorder described in unmarried girls of the Zuchu tribe in Africa.
The girls experience intense daydreams with stereotypical content. They include visions of floods, dead people, crowds of low and black-bearded people, snakes and baboons. Experiencing these nightmares is a source of anxiety and fear of sleep. This state may be preceded by the sight of a man or an alien.

Tanatomania (also known as Voo-Doo death)

Cases of this disorder have been described among South American Indians and Central African blacks.
A person who breaks a taboo fears the wrath of the gods and tribe members. For this reason, he leaves the tribe and dies after 1-2 days.

Latah

A disorder found in South Asia and the Philippines, Japan and Siberia.
At the sight of a snake or tiger (or even at the sound of these words), a person becomes panic-stricken, depressed and catatonic. This may be accompanied by disturbances of consciousness. The seizure usually lasts for a short time and ends with excitement and running away.

Hsieh-Ping

Described in China.
This disorder occurs mainly in women. They experience trance states. A person in this state identifies with a deceased person whom she has offended during her lifetime.

Pibloktoq

A disorder described among Inuit women.
A woman in this state cries, screams, runs through the snow and jumps into the water. This is followed by sleep, after which the woman wakes up without disturbance. The condition is also known as Arctic hysteria.

Amok

Described in south-east Asia, Central America and New Zealand.
Initially the person isolates himself, falls into meditation and loses contact with his surroundings. In the next phase, he becomes overwhelmed by fear and excitement and is aggressive. Then he falls into a sleep or stupor. Once the disturbance has subsided, the person remembers nothing of the period when it occurred. Often the tribe kills such a person when the first symptoms of cupidism are visible.

Hiwa-Jtck (called broken heart syndrome)

A disorder described in Indians of the Mohawe tribe.
Older Indians abandoned by their young wives paint their faces black and become depressed. Sometimes the depression ends in suicide.

Windigo

A disorder found among northern Canadian Indians and Inuit.
In winter during times of famine, sufferers of this disorder become depressed. When the condition worsens the sufferer develops a delusional belief that he or she is a Windigo - a giant ice monster that feeds on human flesh. The tribe usually kills such a person.

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