Why Do People Become Zambis?

In some cases, people are identified as ombis because they're recognized by family or community members. It's sufficient for a person to be recognized as a zambi if an otherwise unknown person displays zombi like behavior. The doctors who wrote the lancet article tried to use the exhibited behavior and physical condition of the zombis they studied to give medical diagnoses of the patients. They said the presumptive diagnosis was catatonic schiz phronia, which is locally a not uncommon psychiatric illness.