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This holistic view of society, the individual, and health may make shamanism more effective when

treating mental health concerns than some other methods available to Peruvians. There are unique diseases

relating to emotions and mental health found within Peruvian society and therefore some unique treatments.

The focus on holistic treatment, community involvement, and psychotropic plants all help treat individuals

with anxiety, depression, or similar mental disorders.

CULTURE-BOUND ILLNESSES

Disease is not standard across cultures. This is especially true with mental health disorders:

Health problems recognized within a particular culture that are not considered to be biomedical diseases, and

that are not necessarily recognized across cultures, are referred to as culture-bound syndromes or, more

generally, as folk illnesses. Susto (‘‘fright’’) and nervios (‘‘nerves’’) are two such Latin American folk

illnesses that are associated with psychological distress. (Weller, Baer, de Alba Garcia, & Rocha, 2008, p.

407)

Susto is a common disease found in Latin American countries, including Peru. There are thought to be various

causes of susto including trauma, an intense fright, spirits, and elemental causes (Weller et al., 2002).

Interestingly, the same culture-bound illnesses have different symptoms and treatments in different locations.

Some common symptoms were hysterical crying, shaking, nerves, lack of appetite, and weight loss. All of

these symptoms can also be attributed to depression, which is why it has been included. Because it is not

exactly depression or anxiety, it cannot be treated in the same clinical manner. There are special plants which

are known by everyone, even children, to treat susto, like tobacco and achiote (Luziatelli, Sørensen, Theilade,

& Mølgaard, 2010). However in a study done on the co-morbidity of mental illness and susto and nervios, it

was found that, “[t]hose reporting susto had significantly higher levels of stress...and depressive

symptoms...than those who did not report susto” (Weller et al, 2008, p. 414). Along with this correlation, it

was found that presenting with susto or nervios did not predict depression, however “[i}t is very unlikely that

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