5 Sex, bugs & microwave attacks: how bad science, mating insects & psychogenic illness created an international incident with cuba

The National Academic of Sciences recently concluded that the most likely explanation for a cluster of health complaints among American diplomats stationed in Cuba between 2016 and 2018, was microwave energy. A considerable amount of misinformation continues to circulate in the media about this episode. The author will refute the NAS report and make the case that the preponderance of evidence supports a psychogenic explanation.

Psychosomatic Pain? The Meanings of Musculoskeletal Affliction in Finnish Medicine, ca. 1950–2000

In recent decades, pain has received extensive attention from historians. However, the boundary work between organic and psychogenic pain has been less studied. To address the mind–body problem in the history of pain, this article examines how Finnish physicians in the latter half of the twentieth century have applied the psychosomatic framework to three painful conditions: rheumatoid arthritis, chronic backache and fibromyalgia. Through the interrelated case studies, it is argued that the medical discussion on musculoskeletal pain reflected social and economic interests and values that evolved in the course of the twentieth century. The psychogenic illness explanation compelled physicians to step outside the confines of biomedical rationale. Therefore, the descriptions of the ‘mind’ behind the ‘body’ render conspicuous for historians the values, moral norms and social expectations that underlie biomedicine.

Jinns and the Proletarian Mumin Subject

This article describes an epidemic of jinn attacks on schoolchildren in contemporary Bangladesh. It explores the ways in which the psychiatric and state health establishment of the country has repeatedly labelled these outbreaks ‘mass psychogenic illness’ and dismissed the widespread local use of kobirajes in these cases. By exploring strategies through which the biomedical establishment has, notwithstanding its own failure to understand or treat these outbreaks, sought to assert the authority of its own frameworks and discredit jinn-based frameworks, I argue that we can glimpse deeper differences between how the two competing frameworks conceptualise the subject of suffering.

Morgellons Disease: The Spread of a Mass Psychogenic Illness via the Internet and Its Implications in Hand Surgery

Somatic manifestations of mental illness sometimes occur in patients presenting to hand specialists. These conversion disorders can also occur in groups, a phenomenon known as “mass psychogenic illness.” The increasing penetrance of the Internet and social media in modern society has greatly facilitated the interaction of patients with others with similar disorders. One example relevant to hand surgery is “Morgellons disease,” a disorder popularized in 2002 and characterized by a firm belief in foreign material extruding from the skin, leading to nonhealing, self-inflicted ulcerations and excoriations. A series of 4 patients collected through an informal survey of hand surgeons regarding experience with Morgellons disease is reviewed and discussed. All patients in the series presented with a chief complaint of foreign material extruding from the hand. In 1 case, the complaint was made by a young patient’s mother. In none of the patients were foreign bodies identified, although 2 patients demonstrated significant ulcerations and scars from self-excoriation. Three patients had a somatic condition affecting the hand or upper extremity, 1 directly related to self-excoriation and 2 unrelated. Treatments, workups, and ultimate outcomes varied among patients. Patients presenting with Morgellons disease often undergo multiple unnecessary tests and are at risk of inappropriate procedures. It is therefore important that providers have a compassionate understanding of the involved psychology. Herein, we offer an approach to the recognition of and treatment strategies for these patients.

Mass Psychogenic Illness in Haraza Elementary School, Erop District, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: Investigation to the Nature of an Episode

Background. Mass psychogenic illness has been documented for more than 600 years in a variety of cultural, ethnic, and religious settings. We aimed to assess the nature and characteristics of mass psychogenic illness and to evaluate community awareness and perception about the treatment they practiced in Haraza Elementary School, Erop district, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Methods. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Haraza Elementary School from January to February, 2020. Students who were victims of an episode were subjects of the study. A total of twelve students were investigated using a semistructured questionnaire for a quantitative study. Seven key informant interviews were conducted using a guiding questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed using XL sheet while qualitative data were analyzed manually. Results. The mean age of study participants was 14 years (SD±1.3). The majority (87%) were teenage female students. The incident was an unspecified disease with psychiatric disorder, migraine, and syncope with no plausible organic causes. An important feature of migraine and syncope was their comorbidity with mass psychogenic illness. The community perceived that evil devil force and blaming the being as an evil eye were common causes of the occurrence of an episode. Conclusion. Lack of empirical knowledge and awareness about its management and prevention among community members and health professionals resulted exaggerated rumor that would perceive as newly emerging disease that affected school activities. Integrating MPI in PHEM package at health facility level, advocacy workshops for media, and other relevant stakeholders will minimize its impact for the future.

Mass Psychogenic Illness in Haraza Elementary School, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: Investigation to the nature of an Episode.

Background Mass psychogenic illness has been documented for more than 600 years in a variety of culture, ethnic, and religious settings. The aim of this study was to assess the nature and characteristics of mass psychogenic illness in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, Methods School based cross-sectional study was conducted in haraza elementary school from January –February, 2020. Students who were victims of an episode were subjects of the study. A total of twelve students were investigated using semi-structured questionnaire for quantitative study. Seven key informant interviews were conducted using guiding questionnaires. Quantitative data was analyzed using XL sheet while qualitative data was analyzed manually. Result the mean age of study participants was 14 years (SD±1.3). Majority (87%) were teenage female students. The incident was unspecified disease with psychiatric disorder, migraine and syncope with no plausible organic causes. An important feature of migraine and syncope was their co-morbidity with mass psychogenic illness. The community perceived that Evil-devil force and blaming as being an evil-eye were common causes for the occurrence of an episode. Conclusion lack of empirical knowledge and awareness about its management and prevention among community members and health professionals resulted exaggerated rumor that would perceived as newly emerging disease that affected school activities. Integrating MPI in PHEM package at health facility level, advocacy workshops for media and other relevant stakeholders will minimize its impact for the future.