As a rule, diseases affect people equally all over the world. But some countries have certain disorders that are unique to them, and symptoms and effects usually do not spread outside the country or ethnic group.
1. Syndrome of the retired husband
Japan is renowned for its work ethic and many people work in the office after hours and devote all their free time to their careers. Often spouses neglect marriage for the sake of business, and when a man retires, various kinds of problems arise.
When a couple no longer focuses on their careers and spends more time together, spouses find out that they do not really know each other, and this often leads to conflicts.
Over the past 10 years, the divorce rate in Japan has risen by 27 percent, and this figure will rise as more people become retirees.
Many men, unaccustomed to domestic life, treat their wives as subordinates or servants. The husband's social circle is also closely related to work and disappears after retirement. Women find it difficult to cope with the violation of the usual order, when a man is at home for days and tries to control their lives. They suffer from stress and health problems.
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In addition, the traditional family structure is changing. Children who used to live with their parents are in no hurry to tie the knot, thereby not helping parents to get used to the transition period with the help of their children and grandchildren.
It has become such a problem that therapists and psychologists now specialize in treating women who face this situation, and support groups are focused on helping retired men.
2. New world syndrome
In industrialized countries, in particular in the United States, a sedentary lifestyle is becoming more common: watching TV and playing video games. At the same time, food is high in fat and calories.
This American way of life was until recently unfamiliar in island regions such as Micronesia and other parts of Oceania.
The indigenous population usually ate fruits, vegetables and freshly caught fish. When pirates discovered the islands in the early 20th century, they brought alcohol and infectious diseases to the islands, and later, with the development of the mining industry, they began to import unhealthy products of the Western world.
As a result, there is a spike in diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and some islanders have had their first heart attacks in their early 20s. Many people in their 50s already consider themselves old, and 85 percent of the population is obese.
Interestingly, New World Syndrome contributed to the idea that it is possible to suffer from obesity and malnutrition, and there are more than 1 billion such people, according to the WHO.
3. Lata
Lata, which means nervous, is a rare disorder from Malaysia characterized by an overreacting to sudden noise or other frightening stimuli. The person may experience uncontrolled movements, ranging from gestures to swearing, singing and dancing. At the same time, a person unquestioningly follows what he is told.
For example, one study reported a case where a woman, on command, hit other people, ate inedible objects, and reacted to a non-existent threat in a room.
Another patient tried to breastfeed her hat when she was told it was her hungry baby. After the seizure passes, the person returns to normal and cannot explain his previous actions.
The reasons for the lat are still unknown, and there are suspicions that this may be a genetic predisposition. Most often, the disorder affects postmenopausal women, but there are also cases of the development of the disorder in young women and men.
4. Fire disease
Hwabyung or "fire sickness" is unique to Korea and is characterized by burning sensation, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, insomnia, muscle aches, palpitations, weight loss, and blurred vision. The condition, in the end, can develop into depression.
The disorder is most common in middle-aged women and occurs when they feel anger but cannot express it.
This anger is directed inward, and when the situation does not improve, it begins to manifest physically and mentally. Psychologists blame cultural and historical factors for this, as Koreans survived the riots and political upheaval, and many could only endure.
Korean residents who emigrate also face "fire sickness," as new life in another country is often just as stressful as their old one.
According to Korean popular belief, anger is fire. Holding back "fire" causes it to build up in the body, upsetting the natural balance and leading to an endless cycle of helplessness and depression.
5. Dhat syndrome
Dhat syndrome affects young men living in the Indian subcontinent, mainly in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. The syndrome is characterized by anxiety that the body is losing semen through urination and other unusual secretions. Symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, loss of appetite and sexual dysfunction are observed.
Men suffering from Dhat syndrome feel they are losing an important part of themselves. Anxiety stems from the Ayurvedic philosophy that substances in the body such as blood, fat, flesh, bone marrow, lymph and semen are important for maintaining balance and well-being.
The semen is considered to play the most important role, as all fluids and substances in the body go through stages where they are converted and become seminal fluid. Seed is a key factor in a long and healthy life, and losing it means something wrong.
People with this disorder consider it a physical illness, but treatment usually involves consulting a psychiatrist. Depression usually occurs without proper treatment.
6. Fear of cold and wind
Pa-leng - excessive fear of cold and Pa-feng - strong fear of the wind is most often found among Chinese residents or immigrants who practice ideas related to yin and yang. Both of these disorders are associated with the belief that temperature equilibrium is required to maintain balance in the body. The wind and cold take away valuable body heat, upsetting the natural balance.
It is believed that the wind brings disease with it, and if a person felt good in the morning and then suddenly fell ill, people blame the wind for it.
Both cold and wind are associated with yin energy, and people suffering from these disorders will make every effort to keep warm or yang. They may dress too warmly, avoid drafts, and only eat hot food. They may also suffer from the effects of imbalance in yin and yang, such as headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain and coughing.
7. Scrupulousness
Scrupulousness is associated with religiosity, in particular with Catholicism. People suffering from this disorder believe that they are constantly in a state of sin, and whatever they do, they anger God.
Often a person is tormented by one idea, for example, by following Bible verses thoroughly, avoiding any blasphemous thoughts, or staying “pure” but ignoring basic ideas such as commandments.
A person sees himself as a sinner and suffers from the fact that he considers himself unworthy and is not satisfied with everything he does. Scrupulousness refers to obsessive-compulsive disorder and can lead to self-torture or self-sacrifice in order to "cleanse oneself from sin."
The disorder is also treated like obsessive-compulsive disorder with behavioral therapy and medications.
8. Sudden Unexpected Death Syndrome
Sudden unexpected death syndrome is prevalent in Southeast Asia. It is characterized by the fact that healthy men, most of whom have not reached middle age, go to bed and no longer wake up. Most of them are found dead after strange screams at night.
According to legend, these mysterious deaths are caused by spirits that kill men in their sleep. In Thailand, it is the spirit of a widowed woman who steals the souls of living men. In Japan it is called "pok-kuri", and in Vietnam and Laos - "tsob-tsuan", and in the Philippines - "bangungot" or "batibat".
Mention of mysterious deaths appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, but only recently scientists began to associate this phenomenon with surges in the electrocardiogram. EKG irregularities are shaped like a shark's fin and are known as Brugada syndrome, named after cardiologists Pedro and Josep Brugada.
Those who die from sudden unexpected death syndrome have no other health problems. A study of unexplained deaths in Manila that occurred between 1948 and 1982 found that most of the victims were 33 years old and died at 3 a.m., most often in December and January.
9. Tabanka
Tabanka is a severe form of heartbreak that plagues men in Trinidad. For a long time, tabanka amazed those who lost loved ones to a rival, but now this term means a broader term of unrequited love.
In most cases, a person suffering from tobacco loses interest in the world, stops eating, suffers from abdominal pain and insomnia. Although this seems to be a common condition with a broken heart, it can get worse.
The person begins to drink heavily, which aggravates depression and can lead to suicide. One of the problems is also the fact that people suffering from tabank hide their condition, as it is the subject of ridicule.
Women are less likely to suffer from this disorder than men, in part because they are more likely to accept the likelihood of losing their partner to another woman.
10. Obsession with Zar
According to the belief system of Ethiopian Jews, Adam and Eve had 30 children. Eve, worried that the most beautiful children would make God envy, decided to hide 15 of her children in the Garden of Eden.
God, of course, saw this and as a punishment made all 15 children invisible. The remaining children became the ancestors of the human race, and the 15 invisible children became zar - spirits that stalk and hunt their brothers and sisters.
People who have a zar obsession (who actually suffer from several disorders) start to experience headaches and fatigue.
This ghost obsession often occurs in the context of a traumatic and stressful event, such as a change in status in a relationship, struggle with infertility, or a change in social circle.
If the expulsion of spirits does not help, the person turns to a cult healer. The healer puts the victim into a trance, during which he talks to the spirit. At the same time, the owner and the spirit try to come to an agreement, and in exchange for a quiet life, the patient makes a promise, for example, not to eat certain food, communicate with certain people, or dress in a certain way.