M, they also believe that they believe in spirits, but he so do we. Our religions are just different to their religion. And their religion comes with evil spirits. They can infect you. It's not any more irrational. We have this superstition about ill and when a certain thing happens, we feel sick. But they're then harnessing that to use it as an expression of distress and to ask for help. anthropologists who have studied this find it to be like a really sophisticated problem solving mechanism which the people use social problem solving and personal as well.
Michael Shermer speaks with award-winning Irish neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan about her work exploring the complexity of psychogenic illness affecting people all around the world. Her book The Sleeping Beauties, documents her investigation of psychosomatic disorders as she traveled the world visiting communities suffering from these so-called mystery illnesses. O’Sullivan records the remarkable stories of syndromes related to her by people from all walks of life. Riveting and often distressing, these case studies — both fascinating and of serious concern — are recounted with compassion and humanity as these syndromes continue to proliferate around the globe.