Presentation Information
[O-14-06]Cultural Dimensions of Hallucination and Delusion among Psychotic Patients in Java, Indonesia
*Subandi Subandi1, Carla R. Marchira1, Nida Ul Hasanat1, Muhana Sofiati Utami1, Byron J Good2 (1.Universitas Gadjah Mada(Indonesia), 2.Harvard Medical School(United States of America))
Keywords:
Hallucination,Delusion,Cultural dimension,Psychosis,Java,Indonesia
Hallucination and delusion are culturally and socially constructed. They are not only the manifestation of the internal world of psychotic patients, but also the reflection of their external world. This research aims to explore the varieties of hallucinations and delusions experienced by Javanese psychotic patients and their relation to their sociocultural environments. We employed a case study method by involving 15 psychotic patients recruited from the local hospitals. We conducted interviews with participants and their family members in their home settings, allowing us to observe their everyday lives. The thematic analysis identified six themes describing participants' experiences. First, Javanese mythology, in which some participants believed in meeting Nyai Loro Kidul, the beautiful and powerful spirit queen of the South Sea, who was always depicted as dressed in green. Second, some reported seeing Javanese spiritual beings, such as buto ijo, genderuwo, and pocong, which threatened them. Third, Islamic religious beliefs, in which some participants saw angels, were influenced by the archangel Gabriel and Jin, or involved experiencing the padhang mahsyar, a gathering place of final judgment after the Day of Doom. Fourth, participants mentioned national political issues such as the 1965 massacre of communist party members and the corruption trial of the son of former president Suharto. Finally, the fifth is the global issues, such as the 9/11 tragedy, and the figures of Osama bin Laden, Lady Diana, and were part of participants' delusional experiences. The study concludes that the hallucinations and delusions of psychotic patients are the pseudo-reality that the patient constructs as a reflection of the real-life of contemporary Javanese culture, incorporating traditional, religious, and modern cultures in a local, national, and global world.