Brain fag
Encyclopedia
Brain fag is an example of a culture-bound syndrome
. Once a common term for mental exhaustion, it is now encountered almost exclusively in West Africa. Seen predominantly in male students, it generally manifests as vague somatic
symptoms, depression
, and difficulty concentrating. It has similar symptoms to the Trinidadian illness studiation madness.
The term "brain fag" was used in the US as far back as 1852, describing an overworked brain, in 1877 to describe mental exhaustion in professionals similar to neurasthenia
, and later in 1919 to describe mental fatigue in the elderly. The term 'fag' is believed to have been derived from 'fatigue'. This American usage declined by the 1950s. The modern African usage was first described in 1960. Brain fag occurs most commonly in sub-Saharan Africa.
A Nigerian study in 2002 found that proficiency in English may be a risk factor. In South Africa, another large study found that socioeconomic status, female birth order, and depression were linked to the illness. A possible aetiology may be the "cultural clash" between African and Western societies. Brain fag is generally considered to be a depressive disorder, possibly linked with anxiety
disorders.
Culture-bound syndrome
In medicine and medical anthropology, a culture-bound syndrome, culture-specific syndrome or folk illness is a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms that are considered to be a recognizable disease only within a specific society or culture...
. Once a common term for mental exhaustion, it is now encountered almost exclusively in West Africa. Seen predominantly in male students, it generally manifests as vague somatic
Somatic
The term somatic means 'of the body',, relating to the body. In medicine, somatic illness is bodily, not mental, illness. The term is often used in biology to refer to the cells of the body in contrast to the germ line cells which usually give rise to the gametes...
symptoms, depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
, and difficulty concentrating. It has similar symptoms to the Trinidadian illness studiation madness.
The term "brain fag" was used in the US as far back as 1852, describing an overworked brain, in 1877 to describe mental exhaustion in professionals similar to neurasthenia
Neurasthenia
Neurasthenia is a psycho-pathological term first used by George Miller Beard in 1869 to denote a condition with symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, headache, neuralgia and depressed mood...
, and later in 1919 to describe mental fatigue in the elderly. The term 'fag' is believed to have been derived from 'fatigue'. This American usage declined by the 1950s. The modern African usage was first described in 1960. Brain fag occurs most commonly in sub-Saharan Africa.
A Nigerian study in 2002 found that proficiency in English may be a risk factor. In South Africa, another large study found that socioeconomic status, female birth order, and depression were linked to the illness. A possible aetiology may be the "cultural clash" between African and Western societies. Brain fag is generally considered to be a depressive disorder, possibly linked with anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
disorders.