Koro And Gururumba Essay

Koro and Gururumba are two of many different kinds of cultural syndromes. Koro is primary related to Asian culture, while Gururumba is related to New Guinea. Cultural syndromes are a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms that are only found within certain cultures. The fact that these syndromes are culture and society bound and are not wide spread across the globe, they are not recognized by the majority of the world, although the DSM has better recognized some cultural syndromes for aiding in a diagnosis. This makes these cultural syndromes very unique. So, what is unique about Koro and Gururumba? “Koro,” or known in the United States as “genital retraction syndrome”, is the fear of the genitals retracting into the body by followed by death. This usually is not triggered by anything specific and is mostly common in Asia, but few cases have been reported in America, Smith (2013). This psychiatric fear also revolves around the thought of after losing the genitalia they will die. The Gururumba people of New Guinea, are the hosts for a very particular mental episode usually described as “wild man syndrome.” The symptoms associated are, the affected person begins to become aggressive and begins to burglarize their neighbors. This will continue until the aggression subsides or they run off into the

Some of the cultural treatments include the consumption of hot liquids, or loud noises to chase away an evil spirit. Using weights and clamping them to the penis to keep it from retracting. In the west, treatments normally consist of office visits to a therapist that specializes in sexual disorders, Smith (2013). In Chinese cultures the patient is given an exorcism by a Tao priest and the severity of the illness is then determined and handled accordingly. There are also some commonly used home remedies that include using spices and herbs, which are believed to cure the