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Abnormal illness behaviour and somatisation due to leucorrhoea
1National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.
Psychopathology
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Asian women widely believe whitish discharge causes fatigue and somatic symptoms. This case study highlights how psychosomatic complaints are linked to this discharge, leading to abnormal illness behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Women's Health
- Cultural Psychiatry
Background:
- A prevalent belief exists among Asian women linking whitish discharge to physical ailments like fatigue and somatic complaints.
- This association has received limited research attention, despite its widespread cultural acceptance.
Observation:
- The case study focuses on a patient presenting with multiple somatic complaints.
- These complaints were attributed by the patient to the passage of whitish discharge.
Findings:
- The patient's symptoms, including weakness, tiredness, and exhaustion, were psychosomatic in nature.
- The attribution of these symptoms to whitish discharge resulted in abnormal illness behavior.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering cultural beliefs in understanding psychosomatic symptoms in women.
- Further research is needed to explore the cultural context of somatic complaints and illness behavior among Asian women.
- Healthcare providers should be sensitive to cultural interpretations of bodily symptoms to provide effective care.