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SUSTO

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Definition

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Susto is a culture-bound syndrome found in Central and South Americas. It is related to stress or an emotional event which results in "Soul Loss". Latin American's believe a trauma or "frightning" experience causes the soul to leave the body, the term "Perida de Alma" means dispared. The belief is based on the understanding that an individual is composed of body and an essence, that may detact from the body and wander freely or is captivated by super-natural forces. The essence may be held captive because the spirits guardians of the earth, river, ponds and forests have been disturbed. The systems of the self, social, psychological and organic make up the whole-being and one's ideal level, is called homeostatis. If one area of a being is not getting enough energy and is over-taxed, stress is the result. Susto is a consequence of an episode of "fright" or stressors which one feels they are unable to meet life's expectation.

Symptoms of Susto

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The symptoms of Susto include:

  • restlessness
  • listlessness
  • debilitated and depressed
  • indifferent to food, dress and hygiene
  • wasting away

In Bolton's study the symptoms of susto resemble hypoglycemia, weak, faint, ill humor, migraine headaches, weepinf, nervousness and diarrhea.

Cases of Susto

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  • A father crosses a river below his ranch and gets swept off his feet by swift current. he is saved by grabbing a vine. His daughter watching from the bank is alarmed and within fifteen days is sick with susto. The father does not geto susto even though they had a similar experience. A informant said, "in this way the water contains a being which is virtud, its force or strength, the same as the earth, the woods, the high mountains and everything'.
  • A pregnant women was required to more a car under a roof threatned by heavy rains. A neighbor brought "mezcal" and sprayed the woman's chest and back. other neighbor's brought food just in case she would develop susto and not want to cook.
  • A woman suffers susto one year after she experienced a event in which her burro fell, breaking her home made pottery going to market. She then had two miscarriages and was concerned she might never conceive.

Studies of Susto

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The study is by anthropologists, Arthur j. Rubel, Carl W. O'nell, and Rolando Collado-Ardon. The late Dr. Ralph Clayton Patrick formerly w the university of North Carolina, spearheaded the idea of health conditions within specific populations should be of interest to anthropologists as well as other health professionals. The people studied were Mexicans from three different regions, which were the Mestizo, Zapotec and Chinantec from the state of Oaxaca.These cultures provide an etiology, a diagnosis, preventive measures and regimens of healing. The Chinantec the vital substance called "bi" is help captive by the spitet forces where the startling event happens. The Zapotecs are not as clear about what is lost, but the need to identify the event and where it happened is as important.In the Mestizo population, causes were more of a human nature. like being breathed on by a drunk or accosted. The variable of all three regions is the time lapse of weeks and even years for susto to cause symptoms. In Uzzell studies in 1974, he looked at cases a little differently. "Asusto", the person with Susto is taking time out to relieve themselves of tasks they are obliged to perform.Adults have expierenced a sense of inadequacy and helplessness even before the symptoms of Susto begin.

Healing

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Bathing one with herbs, flowers and drinking teas are some of the methods of healing. Chicken or turkey feathers are used to "sweep" out the ill substances.

  • A healing Ritual preformed by local healer includes, "mezcal" and other liquors, a cross made of palm leaves, an embroidered image of a Saint, cigarettes, leaves of the tarabundi tree, ewsin and a shirt of the person with susto. At night when it is very quite, the healer shakes the liquor over the ill one and prayed for the spirit to release one's soul. fter the healer throws a cigarette to the ground. He repeated this facing each directon. In the house he built a fire with coals and waved the smoke with the shirt in the face of the patient. A tea of nine herbs is made and drunk. The leaves of the tarabundi leaves are wrapped on the feet. All family members are to stay awake sll night for the healing to occur. Slowly each day the patients get better.

Video of Susto Ritual

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-xVHYRpE58

References

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