Week 4 Journal
- 1. Week 4 Journal The Subjectivity and Art of Diagnosis This week we discussed how important it is to consider a patient’s culture when attempting to make a proper diagnosis regarding a potentially mentally ill patient. Considering a patient’s culture can enlighten the healthcare professional about whether the behavior being considered is actually a social behavior rather than a disorder because unfamiliar behaviors are common labeled as ‘peculiar’ and could easily be mistaken for a disorder (Tseng, 2006). Another reason for thoroughly examining a patients culture is that diagnosis of a disorder must not fit within the accepted norms of a specific cultural perspective and that to do so will help the psychologist design a treatment that reflects respect for the patient’s cultural treatments (Isaac, 2013). Another point I found interesting is if the patient actually has a syndrome which is associated with true mental illness it can be seen in varying forms universally such as in the case of Amok. “Amok” or “running Amok” is derived from the Malay word “mengamok,” which means to make a furious and desperate charge and is associated with two forms. The two forms are “amok” which is associated with rage, a perceived insult, or vendetta to attack and “beramok” is associated with a depressive or mood disorder that leads to loss of control and performing violent acts upon others. Amok is described as a dissociative trance disorder as well as an impulse control disorder such as intermittent explosive disorder in the DSM-5. (Flaskerud, 2012). This disorder seems to be prevalent among males that display persecutory ideas, automatism, amnesia, exhaustion, and a return to a premorbid state after the attack. Subjects prone to displaying amok generally show evidence of social isolation, loss, depression, anger, pathological narcissism, and paranoia as well as often have a history of being aggressive and impulsive although this is not always seen in cases of beramok, which is linked to a mood disorder such as depression. Amok is generally called by several names such as: spree killings, rampage killing, mass murder and going postal. Incidences of Amok is seen universally and called different names according to the cultures in which it takes place and is in most cases linked to undiagnosed or untreated psychoses or severe personality pathology (Flaskerud, 2012). Studies have shown that predisposing factors include a fascination with weapons and war or a warrior mentality, a preoccupation with fantasy, a sense of victimization and a marked sense of entitlement and precipitating factors include major rejection or relational or status loss before the attacks and in the majority of cases the offenders shared their murderous plans before the attacks and were not taken seriously (Flaskerud, 2012). Reference Isaac, D. (2013). Culture-bound syndromes in mental health: a discussion paper. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 20(4), 355-361 7p. doi:10.1111/jpm.12016 Laskerud, J. H. (2012). Case Studies in Amok? Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(12), 898- 900. doi:10.3109/01612840.2012.719583
- 2. Tseng, W.S. (2006). From peculiar psychiatric disorders through culture-bound syndromes to culture-related specific syndromes. Transcultural Psychiatry, 43(4), 554-576. Doi: 10.1177/1363461506070781