The indigenization of neurasthenia in Hong Kong
The indigenization of neurasthenia in Hong Kong
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香港神经衰弱症本土化
DOI：
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发表时间：
1989
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
F. M. Cheung
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
F. M. Cheung
尽管神经衰弱起源于西方精神病学，但在中国民间医学中，神经衰弱已经成为一个流行的概念，指的是各种躯体和心理症状。回顾中药材和中成药，神经衰弱在补益类药物中更多地与躯体症状相关，在镇静镇静类药物中更多地与心理和心身症状相关。中国流行的关于神经衰弱的书籍表明，导致神经衰弱的原因可能是生活方式、心理因素和健康问题。关于治疗的建议强调通过改变生活方式、检查态度、补药护理和放松的自助方法。在香港，神经衰弱是专业人士和普通市民泛指的一个宽泛的名词，其重要作用是消除精神疾病的污点。性心理问题也可以通过身体表现来谨慎地传达。神经衰弱的本土化说明了一个原本来自西方的概念如何获得了文化意义。讨论了疾病概念化和医学范式的含义。
Despite its origin in Western psychiatry, neurasthenia has become a popular concept in Chinese folk medicine, referring to a variety of somatic and psychological symptoms. Review of Chinese medicinal materials and patent medicines shows that neurasthenia is associated more often with somatic symptoms in tonic type medicine and with psychological and psychosomatic symptoms in sedative and tranquilizer type medicine. Popular Chinese books on neurasthenia suggest that causes might be attributed to lifestyle, psychological factors, and health problems. Recommendations on treatment emphasize self-help approaches through changing lifestyle, examining attitudes, tonic care, and relaxation. As a broad term used loosely by professionals and the lay public in Hong Kong, neurasthenia serves the important function of destigmatizing psychiatric disorders. Psychosexual problems may also be conveyed discreetly through somatic presentation. The indigenization of neurasthenia exemplifies how an originally Western concept acquires cultural meaning. Implications of illness conceptualization and the medical paradigm are discussed.