Indigenous mental health care among Gurkha soldiers based in the United Kingdom.
A Jolly
Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps February 1, 1999 DOI: 10.1136/jramc-145-01-04 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | One soldier who believed he was destined to become a shaman |
| Duration | Six weeks in Nepal |
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Humans Mental disorders Mental health services Military medicine Adult Military personnel Health services, indigenous Nepal Male United kingdom |
| Key findings | The paper presents the case of a soldier whose symptoms did not resolve with Western treatment but who, after six weeks in Nepal consulting three different types of local shamans, claimed to be free of symptoms and returned to normal military duties. The authors use this case to examine the concept of the indigenous healer. |
Abstract
This paper looks at the concept of the indigenous healer and draws on experiences of those closely involved with the progress of one soldier who, after feeling unwell, believed he was destined to become a shaman. Initially treated by Western methods, which failed to resolve his situation, he returned to Nepal to consult with the local traditional healers. He spent six weeks in Nepal and was seen by three different types of local shamans. Upon his return to Britain he claimed to be free of symptoms and returned to his normal military duties.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain changes during a shamanic trance: Altered modes of consciousness, hemispheric laterality, and systemic psychobiology A normal subject with extensive training in the Mongolian shamanic tradition | 2017 | Case study | n = 1 |
| The Diaspora of Brazilian Religions | 2013 | Ethnographic case studies | |
| Transformation in Dang-ki Healing: The Embodied Self and Perceived Legitimacy. A male dang-ki, 10 temple assistants, and 9 clients at a shrine in Singapore | 2016 | Case study | n = 20 |
| (Neo)Shamanic Dialogues Members of a Guarani Indian village on the Atlantic coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil | 2012 | Case study | |
| Kambô: A Shamanic Medicine - Personal Testimonies | 2018 | Case study |