Susto

Susto is a cultural illness primarily among Latin American cultures. It has been found in Mexico, Central America, and among Mexican American communities in the United States. Susto is often referred to as “fright sickness” and can occur when a person experiences a sudden scare that causes their soul to leave the body. It is described as a condition of "chronic somatic suffering stemming from emotional trauma or from witnessing traumatic experiences lived by others." Researchers also describe susto as a cultural concept of distress, which means that culture shapes the way people understand, express, and respond to illness.

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