1) Temporary appearance in
critical situations
When
SPs appear, they typically remain for only a short period and disappear rather
quickly. If their appearance takes the form of stormy or violent behaviors, it
tends to last for an even shorter period. In this case, SPs appear to consume a
considerable amount of physical mental energy and get exhausted, literally unable
to “stay up” any more. These states are approximated to episodes of cultural-bound
syndromes characterized by sudden and violent behaviors, such as latah and amok.
This
condition is similar to episodes of sudden, incomprehensible violence or attack
by a single individual, which then subsides rather quickly, leaving the person amnesic
of the episode (Kon, 1996). The triggering factor for the appearance of SP
varies, but often it is related to reminders of some critical or traumatic
event in the past. The way in which SPs appear is reminiscent of the mechanisms
triggering flashbacks of past traumatic events occurring among patients with
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
