1. Parasuicidal snow-wandering in Arctic Northern Norway
- Author
-
Trygve Nissen and Ahmed Haggag
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Culture ,Population ,Amnesia ,Poison control ,Suicide, Attempted ,Suicide prevention ,Delusions ,Northern norway ,Pregnancy ,Snow ,medicine ,Humans ,education ,Weather ,Depressive Disorder ,education.field_of_study ,Cultural Characteristics ,Norway ,Ecology ,Puerperal Disorders ,Hysteria ,Middle Aged ,Cold Climate ,medicine.disease ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Arctic ,Female ,Schizophrenic Psychology ,medicine.symptom ,Psychology ,Social psychology - Abstract
Psychiatric morbidity in the Arctic has not been extensively studied. Seasonal variations in climate, light and darkness are unique for these areas and impose special kinds of strains on the population. Three case-histories focusing on snow-wandering as a parasuicidal act are presented. One of them bears some resemblance to the Arctic hysteria described among Eskimoes. Reasons for choosing snow-wandering as an alternative to other kinds of suicide are discussed and a hypothesis is suggested. The psychological and physiological factors as explanations for post snow-wandering amnesia are discussed. Language: en
- Published
- 1988
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