not always the case. Schizophrenic symptoms such
as delusion are experienced differently. Often,
these delusions play a predominant aspect in an
individual’s
culture
that
in
interpreted
symbolically. For example, Ireland and India are
both highly religious countries. Ireland patients
would experience delusions of sainthood, while an
individual in India who is considered as a spirit
medium would be an incarnation of a Hindu God
(Teenage Brain: Culture and Schizophrenia). These
experiences are interpreted symbolically as a
“spiritual awakening” and it is not frown upon in
these cultures, but it is viewed as valued aspect in
their society. By perceiving diseases through
other’s eyes, Medical Anthropologist can attempt
to understand the importance of cultural themes
within one’s society. In African cultures, many
tribal societies regard the spirit world as an
important aspect in their society. One who can
access and communicate to their deceased
ancestors is respected,not delusional. Through
narratives such as this, Medical Anthropologist
claim that these beliefs reflect cultural norms and
not delusional or sick.
The difference between western societies
and
other cultures is
our
symbolic
interpretations of a situation. If one can
imagine, if the west were to introduce these
innovations and treatment to help cure developing
countries, what would the outcome be? In reality,
they will be willing to see our point of view
and try to utilize western treatment, or they will be
offended and outraged
because
western
medicine bluntly said, “You are not talking to your
dead ancestors, and you are not God.
Respectfully, you’re culture is a little bit weird and
different, but understand the fact that you are sick
and we’re just here to help you.” Recognizing
ethnocentrism is an important element in
anthropology in order to avoid it and become
more culturally sensitive. If we were to introduce
them, without being culturally sensitive, we are
basically insulting them. Utilizing interpretive
approach and understanding an individual’s
illness from their cultural perspective is important
when approaching them. It also raises the ethical
question, “do we still treat them even if they
believe it’s not a disease?” Being culturally
sensitive proves difficult. In this case, western
society does not look at schizophrenia as form of
a religious awakening, or an amazing individual
who so happened to have gained the power to
communicate to the spirit world.
Although there are some cultures that believe that
schizophrenia is not a disease, others believe that
it is something that needs to be healed, but only
through the way of tribal healers and folk
medicine. In Nigeria, rituals and symbolic
recovery are the medicines that cure the mental
illness. The patient is dressed in clothing worn
during the illness, where they are being taken
down the river; a dove is sacrificed over his
head, washed in the dove’s blood. Then his
clothing is removed and with the carcass of the
bird, thrown into the stream and carried away,
while the priest chants, “As the river can never
flow backwards, so may this illness never return
(Good).” After the ritual the patient is healed,
dressed in new clothing and is celebrated with
relatives. Imagine if western doctors still pushed
their bio machinery and medicine to these tribes
and said, “Rituals don’t fix the brain, only our
medicine does.” We would expect the reaction
from the tribes to be one of insult and anger.
W estern doctors are “insulting” the way we heal
the sick in our society, our cultural way is wrong
in their [western doctor] eyes. Should we still push
western medicine to developing countries, when
they are satisfied with the way their healing works?
Nigerian tribes utilize this symbolic ritual as
substitution for medicine; it is their medicine. But
in contrast to western society where there is no
ritual or any tribal relationship, a mental patient
goes in to get treated with westernized
biotechnologies but leaves the hospital with a
stigma, which may never disappear (Good).
Whatever potential merit western society
makes about the advancement in biotechnologies,
should we share it with developing countries, and
even though our cultures are both extremely
different in terms of how we perceive healing? We
all have our opinions, but in the end it seems as if
all we want to do is to extend our help to those in
need. The question is, “Are they in need of our
medicine?” If they [culture] decline, then as
professional doctors and scientist should act, they
should leave the culture as it is and respect how
their society works. If different culture groups
perceive schizophrenia as an
illness that should be treated through other
treatments instead of their own, then as
professions should extend their hands to those in
need. Remember, those who are in the medical
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