Parasuicidal snow‐wandering in Arctic Northern Norway

• Published in: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
• Main Authors: Nissen, T., Haggag, A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1988
• Subjects: Psychiatry and Mental health; Arctic; Norway; eskimo*; Northern Norway
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1988.tb05126.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1600-0447.1988.tb05126.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1988.tb05126.x

ABSTRACT— Psychiatric morbidity in the Arctic has not been extensively studied. Seasonal variations in climate, light and darkness are unique for these areas and impose special kinds of strains on the population. Three case‐histories focusing on snow‐wandering as a parasuicidal act are presented. One of them bears some resemblance to the Arctic hysteria described among Eskimoes. Reasons for choosing snow‐wandering as an alternative to other kinds of suicide are discussed and a hypothesis is suggested. The psychological and physiological factors as explanations for post snow‐wandering amnesia are discussed.