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'The ghost pushes you down': sleep paralysis-type panic attacks in a Khmer refugee population
Devon E Hinton1, Vuth Pich, Dara Chhean
1Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA. devon_hinton@hms.harvard.edu
Transcultural Psychiatry
|May 11, 2005
Summary
Sleep paralysis (SP) affects 42% of Cambodian refugees, often with hallucinations and panic. PTSD significantly increases SP prevalence, highlighting its role in trauma response.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Cultural Psychiatry
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Investigating sleep paralysis (SP) prevalence and characteristics in a psychiatric population of Cambodian refugees.
- Examining the relationship between SP, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and cultural factors.
Observation:
- 42% of Cambodian refugees reported current sleep paralysis.
- SP episodes were frequently accompanied by visual hallucinations and panic attacks.
- PTSD was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of SP (67% vs. 22.4%).
Findings:
- 60% of PTSD patients experienced monthly SP episodes.
- Cultural beliefs and trauma associations intensify the Cambodian panic response to SP.
- SP is identified as a core component of the Cambodian refugee trauma response.
Implications:
- Clinicians should assess for SP in Cambodian refugees and other traumatized populations.
- Understanding cultural beliefs is crucial for interpreting SP experiences in refugees.
- SP may serve as an indicator of unresolved trauma and distress.