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Latah

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Latah from Southeast Asia is a condition much like tourettes syndrome where, the exaggerated startle response results in abnormal behaviors. When surprised the affected person will engage in such behaviors as screaming, cursing, dancing movements and uncontrollable laughter.[1]Upon provocation, usually involving shock or acute fright, a latah person would shout obscene utterance, imitate a word, gesture, or action, or automatically obey commands that he/she would not normally follows.[2]

Each episode can last more than 30 minutes. Persons with this disorder will mimic movements of other people like a child would do during certain developmental stages. Latah was apparently culture-specific, widespread among Malayan[3] people[4], but affected only on certain individuals. It was well known to the native themselves, but they regarded it as personal quirk rather than a form of insanity.[5][2] These people are often made fun of or teased by relatives and or friends. This disorder often times limits the person's ability to maintain healthy social interactions and may lead to public embarrassment or isolation of the individual suffering from Latah. The disorder is found most often in women in certain world cultures and is therefore commonly considered a culture-specific syndrome.[6]The disorder is also thought to be brought on by traumatic life experiences like the death of a child, or a repressed desire.

Latah is also the name for those with the condition. Latahs are generally not considered responsible for their actions during these episodes. Similar conditions have been recorded within other cultures and locations, such as among the so-called, Jumping Frenchmen of Maine, women of the Ainu people of Japan,imu, Siberian (miryachit), Filipino and Thai peoples; however, the connection among these syndromes has been controversial.[2] The Ainu blame imu on possession by snakes.

In culture

Latahs are a recurring theme in the writing of William S. Burroughs.

See also

References

http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/archives/21/mental_illness.html

  1. ^ Winzeler, R. (1984, April). The Study of Malayan Latah. Retrieved 25 March 2013 from JSTOR[1]
  2. ^ a b c Winzeler, Robert (April 1984). "Indonesia, The Study of Malayan Latah". Southeast Asia Program Publications at Cornell University. p. 77-104. Retrieved 15 February 2013. Cite error: The named reference "Winzeler" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ The term "Malayan" is used in inclusive sense to refer both Malays and Javanese, to which the great majority of latah studies pertain, as well as to other related ethnic groups (Sundanese, Iban, Ambonese, Balinese, Batak, etc.)
  4. ^ Farlex (2013)Definition of Latah. Retrieved March 29, 2013 from freedictionary [2]
  5. ^ Gimlette,J. (2103, March 5). Remarks on the etiology, symptoms, and treatment of latah, with a report of two cases. Retrieved March 5, 2013 from PMC.[3]
  6. ^ Gimlette, J. (1897, August 21). Remarks on the etiology, symptoms, and treatment of latah, with a report of two cases. Retrieved March, 25 2013 from PMC[4]

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00051005?LI=true#page-1

http://mindhacks.com/2009/09/07/latah-and-the-rules-of-rule-breaking/