Spirits, Stigma, and Symptoms: A Case Series on Cultural Explanatory Models of Mental Illness in India
Journal of Marine Medical Society May 13, 2026 Sana Usmani, Puneet Khanna, Rajat Ranyal et al.
Abstract Mental disorders affect approximately 450 million people globally, with a disproportionate burden in low- and middle-income countries where cultural and religious beliefs strongly influence illness perceptions and pathways to care. In such settings, symptoms are often interpreted through spiritual or supernatural frameworks, contributing to delays in accessing psychiatric treatment....