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Shin-Byung, a Non-Western mental disorder, is "a Korean folk label for a syndrome in which initial phases are characterized by anxiety and somatic complaints (general weakness, dizziness, fear, anorexia, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems), with subsequent disassociation and possession by ancestral spirits."

Shin-byung is a culture-bound syndrome prevalent among Korean women. The initial stages of the syn- drome involve anxiety and somatic complaints such as weakness, dizziness, fear, loss of appetite, insom- nia, and gastrointestinal problems. These symptoms are followed by dissociative states in which the indi- vidual is believed to be possessed by ancestral spirits.

Source Information:

http://www.learnmax.in/Multicultural-Psychology/359.html

Title: CULTURE-BOUND SYNDROMES:SHIN-BYUNG.

Author is listed merely as "admin"

Shin-Byung is a society-bound malady with which Korean women are primarily afflicted. The fundamental manifestations include physical ailments such as dizziness, lack of hunger, weakness, fear, inability to sleep, and gastrointestinal difficulties, as well as apprehension. These complaints are then followed by states of withdrawal, wherein it is believed that the person is then possessed by the spirits of ancestors.

SOURCE MATERIAL FOR MY ARTICLE:

1. Levenson, Rachel, Matsushita, Dana, Sung Shelton, Nancy. 2008. Korean Americans. Accessed June 16th, 2011 from OMH:

Asians are inaccurately represented as outpatients with mental health problems, yet are more likely than Hispanics, African Americans, and Whites to be afflicted with a mental disorder. They are reportedly more susceptible to depression, particularly among men. In the view of Asian Americans, the body and mind should work together. Mental sickness is also regarded as being derived from a biological cause, thus the cure is seen to be self-discipline rather than seeking the help of a professional. The concept of "Chi" and balancing the energies of the body is also deeply important to Koreans and rooted in their traditional view of wellness.

2. 2010.Culture-Bound Syndromes: Shin-Byung. Accessed June 14th, 2011:

An ancestral god, or shin, is traditionally believed to be the cause of the symptoms of Shin-byung. The only known remedy is for the shin to be allowed to enter the woman's body so that she becomes a shaman. It is divided into three phases: The first phase is that in which all physical symptoms begin to appear and is when medical help is usually sought. In the second phase, the individual may experience disassociative behaviors, dreams, or hallucinations. The final phase is believed to be possession by the shin. If this syndrome occurs, the family is often blamed for the individual's malady because folk tales credit the occurrence of Shin-byung to a consistently stressful living environemt and because being a shaman is seen as undesirable.

3. 2008.Korean Shamanism.. Accessed June 16, 2011 from New World Encyclopedia:

Shinbeyeong, or Shin-byung, has also been referred to as "self-loss" or "spirit sickness." Its symptoms include many somatic complaints, such as loss of appetite, hallucinations, and insomnia. At times, the Korean government has attempted to suppress the tradition, though the tradition has survived. Belief in ancestral spirits is central to the religious beginnings of the Korean culture.

4. 2006.Culture Bound Syndrome: Shin-byungEncyclopedia of Multicultural Psychology. Accessed June 18, 2011 from Google books