User:Hilaroo112/Pibloktoq

Pibloktoq

Also known as Arctic Hysteria, Pibloktoq is a sudden occurrence which is accompanied by large amounts of anxiousness. It can last up to 30 minutes and usually precedes seizures and comas lasting up to 12 hours. This disorder is mostly observed in the Arctic or among the Eskimo people, but is also seen in other regions. Persons with Pibloktoq tend to shut themselves off from others for several hours or even days and admit to not remembering the occurrence. Actions involving tearing of clothing, cursing, eating waste, and acting inappropriately are typically seen.

Many towns in the "circumpolar" region have been documented as having "hysterical-like mental disorders", also known as Arctic Hysterias. Although the disorder is known as both Arctic Hysteria and Pibloktoq, the natives of the area call it Pibloktoq.

History

Explorers were the first to notice Pibloktoq. The disorder was seen a great deal in the northern Arctic region. A variety of people from different cultures were diagnosed with Pibloktoq. The disorder has supposedly existed since before Western contact and still occurs today.

Origin

Pibloktoq is believed to be seen mainly in Northern Greenland, which is made up of mostly Polar Eskimos. Eskimos in general are frequently diagnosed with Pibloktoq, especially native Eskimos. Of course it is almost always cold in the polar regions, but winter is usually the worst season for the disorder to break out. Almost all victims of Pibloktoq have been female. Very few males have encountered the disorder, and no children have been cited as having Pibloktoq. It is believed that females usually fall victim to Pibloktoq because of jealousy, neglect or abuse from their partner.

Symptoms

Several symptoms were stated before, including anxiousness, cursing, eating waste, and acting insane. But another symptom can be believing one is able to do the unthinkable. One may jump from the roof of their home, or scale a icy mountain. Other symptoms are bloodshot eyes, uncontrollable shaking, and high fever. After the episode has ended, which often takes at least a few days, the person sleeps for a prolonged period.

Cultural View of Disorder

Eskimos do not consider Pibloktoq to be dangerous or even abnormal. Bystanders rarely intervene, unless it is apparent that the victim is capable of hurting themselves or others. Although Western culture considers this disorder as extreme, native Eskimos believe it is just a part of life.

Causes

Actually, there are no known causes for Pibloktoq. Western scientists attribute the disorder to the lack of sun, the extreme cold, and the desolate state of most villages in the region. Wallace and Ackerman outline the background of the Polar Eskimos, noting that a reason for the disorder present in their culture may be due to the isolation of their cultural group. They discuss some of the explorers that investigated the Northwest of Greenland from the 1850s into the late 1940s. Research commonly found that the causes of Pibloktoq are linked with poor nutrition, principally lack of calcium. Women are also known to suffer from Pibloktoq because of a desperate need of love or affection. Because of this, Pibloktoq is sometimes called Arctic Hysteria.