Piblokoq also known as “Arctic hysteria” is a disease that affects people in circumpolar region in the winter months. It has been documented since the 1800’s and has many theories of possible source. Affecting more adult women then men, while having no confirmed cases of children affected. When a person begins a episode of this disorder they will begin to scream, shout, curse, break items, tear clothing, and run out into cold temperatures. Some result in comas or seizures. It has been found that the illness did not begin until the natives of these lands began to meet outsiders from Europe and America. There are many theories of reasoning for why this happens to this culture. Some suggest that it is because of stress or overload from the over culture mixing and loss of their natural ways. The pressure to make it in the changing world may begin to overwhelm the susceptible. While others have suggested that is because the natives have raised their children like “savages”. Lack of vitamin C or Vitamin D even calcium amounts have been tested. But no concrete evidence has proven any theory or reasoning to give a good cause.
People who are non-native to the land have reported all of the case reports of these rage-type episodes expressed by this culture. Which could show that it is something very common for this group of people and they expect these types of actions to happen from time to time. Not a large surprise to see caregivers for those who have frequent episodes. Those who live among those affected often or those who live within the communities are to see these types of attacks. The language barrier in the semi polar region causes difficulty to the outer world with the lack of words that can be translated back and forth to help understand the illness. This reason alone may cause the delay in cause diagnosis, without communication it is impossible to get quality symptoms and results.
Rachel D. Higgs, “Pibloktoq – A study of a culture-bound syndrome in the circumpolar region,” The Macalester Review, (2011) 1:1-9.
Wallace, Anthony F. C. and Ackerman, Robert E. “An Interdisciplinary Approach to Mental Disorder among the Polar Eskimos of Northwest Greenland,” Anthoropoligica (1960) 249-260.