Mental illness complicated by the santeria belief in spirit possession.
Hospital & community psychiatry November 1, 1988 L Alonso, W D Jeffrey 24 citations
Santeria, a religious system blending African and Catholic beliefs practiced by many Cuban Americans, includes a belief in spirit possession. Basic beliefs and rituals, such as the fiesta santera where possession may occur, are described. Four cases illustrate how patients' belief in possession complicated the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. The belief should not be considered a culture-bound syndrome but rather a nonspecific symptom of various mental illnesses, to be evaluated within the patient's overall belief system and daily functioning.