Running amok
Encyclopedia
Running amok, sometimes referred to as simply amok (also spelled amuk, from the Malay
meaning "mad with uncontrollable rage
") is a term for a killing spree perpetrated by an individual out of rage or resentment over perceived mistreatment.
The syndrome of "Amok" is found in the DSM-IV TR
.
The phrase is often used in a less serious manner in relation to someone or something that is out of control and causing trouble (e.g., a dog tearing up the living room furniture might be said to be running amok). Such usage does not imply murderous actions, and any emotional implications (e.g., rage, fear, excitement) must be gleaned from context.
Although commonly used in a colloquial and less-violent sense, the phrase is particularly associated with a specific sociopathic culture-bound syndrome
in Malaysian culture
. In a typical case of running amok, a male who has shown no previous sign of anger or any inclination to violence will acquire a weapon, traditionally a sword or dagger, but presently a variety of weapons are used, and, in a sudden frenzy, will attempt to kill or seriously injure anyone he encounters. Amok typically takes place in a well populated or crowded area. Amok episodes of this kind normally end with the attacker being killed by bystanders, or committing suicide
, citing theories that amok may be a form of intentional suicide in cultures where suicide is heavily stigmatized. For those who do not commit suicide or are killed typically black out and upon regaining consciousness, claim amnesia.
The western world was made known of amok upon reading the journals of Captain James Cook, who was a British explorer in the mid to late 18th century. He discovered firsthand the practice of amok in 1770 during his voyage around the world. He wrote about witnessing individuals behaving in a reckless, violent manner, without cause and “indiscriminately killing and maiming villagers and animals in a frenzied attack.”
A widely accepted explanation links amok with male honor (amok by women is virtually unknown).
Running amok would thus be both a way of escaping the world (since perpetrators were normally killed) and re-establishing one's reputation as a man to be feared and respected.
Some observers have related this explanation to Islam
's ban on suicide, which, it is suggested, drove Malay men to create circumstances in which others would kill them
.
is similar in scope.
Police describe such an event as a killing spree
. If the individual is seeking death an alternate method is often suicide by cop
.
Amok is often described as a culture-bound (or culture-specific) syndrome, which is a psychological condition whose manifestation is strongly shaped by cultural factors. Other reported culture-bound syndromes are latah
and koro
. Amok is also sometimes considered one of the subcategories of dissociative disorders
(cross-cultural variant).
Dr. Pow Meng Yap, a psychiatrist for the Hong Kong Government, wrote that since amok is typically preceded by a period of reflection and brooding, and if the attacker wasn’t killed or killed themselves in the process, they would collapse and upon gaining consciousness, would cite amnesia. Thus leading him to conclude amok is a type of “depressive disorder or a dissociative disorder.” For a condition to be fully culture bound it cannot be found in any other distinctive culture and the culture must be indispensable to its pathogenesis, which in the case of amok, has never been true. A similar study by Jin-Inn Teoh, of University of Aberdeen in London, stated that amok or amok-like behavior has occurred in all countries around the world. There were small discrepancies and variances in the weapons and techniques used. Teoh says that culture has a distinct role in how the act is manifested, but no role in if the act occurs or not. Teoh’s study was the last of its kind in major psychiatric literature, but since its publishing, the spread, or reporting of amok worldwide has only grown.
of the Norse
, the cafard or cathard (Polynesia), mal de pelea (Puerto Rico), and iich'aa
(Navaho).
In contemporary Indonesia, the term amok (amuk) generally refers not to individual violence, but to apparently frenzied violence by mobs. Indonesians now commonly use the term 'gelap mata' (literally 'darkened eyes') to refer to individual amok.
Norse berserkers and the Zulu battle trance are two other examples of the tendency of certain groups to work themselves up into a killing frenzy. The 1911 Webster Encyclopedia comments:
In 1634, the eldest son of the raja
of Jodhpur
ran amok at the court of Shah Jahan
, failing in his attack on the emperor, but killing five of his officials. During the 18th century, again, at Hyderabad
(Sind), two envoys, sent by the Jodhpur chief in regard to a quarrel between the two states, stabbed the prince and twenty-six of his suite before they themselves fell.
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
meaning "mad with uncontrollable rage
Rage (emotion)
Rage is a feeling of intense anger. It is associated with the Fight-or-flight response and oftentimes activated in response to an external cue, such as the murder of a loved one. The phrase, 'thrown into a fit of rage,' expresses the immediate nature of rage that occurs before deliberation. If left...
") is a term for a killing spree perpetrated by an individual out of rage or resentment over perceived mistreatment.
The syndrome of "Amok" is found in the DSM-IV TR
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is published by the American Psychiatric Association and provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders...
.
The phrase is often used in a less serious manner in relation to someone or something that is out of control and causing trouble (e.g., a dog tearing up the living room furniture might be said to be running amok). Such usage does not imply murderous actions, and any emotional implications (e.g., rage, fear, excitement) must be gleaned from context.
Malay origin
Amok originated from the Malay word mengamuk , which roughly defined means “to make a furious and desperate charge” much like the ancient Norse berserker warriors practiced before going into battle. According to Malay culture, amok was rooted in a deep spiritual belief. They believed that amok was caused by the hantu belian , which was an evil tiger spirit that entered one’s body and caused the heinous act. As a result of the belief, those in Malaysian culture tolerated amok and dealt with the after effects with no ill will towards the assailant.Although commonly used in a colloquial and less-violent sense, the phrase is particularly associated with a specific sociopathic culture-bound syndrome
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...
in Malaysian culture
Culture of Malaysia
The Culture of Malaysia draws on the varied cultures of the different people of Malaysia. The first people to live in the area were indigenous tribes that still remain; they were followed by the Malays, who moved there from mainland Asia in ancient times...
. In a typical case of running amok, a male who has shown no previous sign of anger or any inclination to violence will acquire a weapon, traditionally a sword or dagger, but presently a variety of weapons are used, and, in a sudden frenzy, will attempt to kill or seriously injure anyone he encounters. Amok typically takes place in a well populated or crowded area. Amok episodes of this kind normally end with the attacker being killed by bystanders, or committing suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, citing theories that amok may be a form of intentional suicide in cultures where suicide is heavily stigmatized. For those who do not commit suicide or are killed typically black out and upon regaining consciousness, claim amnesia.
The western world was made known of amok upon reading the journals of Captain James Cook, who was a British explorer in the mid to late 18th century. He discovered firsthand the practice of amok in 1770 during his voyage around the world. He wrote about witnessing individuals behaving in a reckless, violent manner, without cause and “indiscriminately killing and maiming villagers and animals in a frenzied attack.”
A widely accepted explanation links amok with male honor (amok by women is virtually unknown).
Running amok would thus be both a way of escaping the world (since perpetrators were normally killed) and re-establishing one's reputation as a man to be feared and respected.
Some observers have related this explanation to Islam
Islam in the Philippines
Islam is the oldest recorded monotheistic religion in the Philippines. Islam reached the Philippines between the 12th and 14th century with the arrival of Muslim traders from Persian Gulf and the Malabar Coast in Southern India, and their followers from several sultanate governments in the Malay...
's ban on suicide, which, it is suggested, drove Malay men to create circumstances in which others would kill them
Suicide by cop
Suicide by cop is a suicide method in which a suicidal individual deliberately acts in a threatening way, with the goal of provoking a lethal response from a law enforcement officer or other armed individual, such as being shot to death....
.
Contemporary syndrome
"Running amok" is used to refer to the behavior of someone who, in the grip of strong emotion, obtains a weapon and begins attacking people indiscriminately, often with multiple fatalities. The slang term going postalGoing postal
Going postal, in American English slang, means becoming extremely and uncontrollably angry, often to the point of violence, and usually in a workplace environment....
is similar in scope.
Police describe such an event as a killing spree
Spree killer
A spree killer is someone who embarks on a murderous assault on two or more victims in a short time in multiple locations. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics defines a spree killing as "killings at two or more locations with almost no time break between murders."-Definition:According to the...
. If the individual is seeking death an alternate method is often suicide by cop
Suicide by cop
Suicide by cop is a suicide method in which a suicidal individual deliberately acts in a threatening way, with the goal of provoking a lethal response from a law enforcement officer or other armed individual, such as being shot to death....
.
Amok is often described as a culture-bound (or culture-specific) syndrome, which is a psychological condition whose manifestation is strongly shaped by cultural factors. Other reported culture-bound syndromes are latah
Latah
Latah is a condition where, triggered by the startle reflex, victims fall into a trance in which they engage in repetitive speech or movements. Often these take the form of echopraxic and/or echolaliac automatisms...
and koro
Penis panic
Koro is a culture-specific syndrome from Southeast Asia in which the patient has an overpowering belief that his penis is shrinking and will shortly disappear. Also known as shrinking penis, the syndrome is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders...
. Amok is also sometimes considered one of the subcategories of dissociative disorders
Dissociative disorders
Dissociative disorders are defined as conditions that involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, awareness, identity and/or perception. See also dissociation. People with dissociative disorders are able to escape from reality involuntarily...
(cross-cultural variant).
Link between amok and mental health
Amok is traditionally thought to be a culture bound syndrome specific to Malaysia, but upon further investigations and research of various case studies has lead many experts to believe that it is in fact not a culture bound syndrome, but rather a result of mental health issues.Dr. Pow Meng Yap, a psychiatrist for the Hong Kong Government, wrote that since amok is typically preceded by a period of reflection and brooding, and if the attacker wasn’t killed or killed themselves in the process, they would collapse and upon gaining consciousness, would cite amnesia. Thus leading him to conclude amok is a type of “depressive disorder or a dissociative disorder.” For a condition to be fully culture bound it cannot be found in any other distinctive culture and the culture must be indispensable to its pathogenesis, which in the case of amok, has never been true. A similar study by Jin-Inn Teoh, of University of Aberdeen in London, stated that amok or amok-like behavior has occurred in all countries around the world. There were small discrepancies and variances in the weapons and techniques used. Teoh says that culture has a distinct role in how the act is manifested, but no role in if the act occurs or not. Teoh’s study was the last of its kind in major psychiatric literature, but since its publishing, the spread, or reporting of amok worldwide has only grown.
Officially classified as a psychiatric condition
Amok was officially classified as a psychiatric condition in 1849 based on the numerous reports and case studies which showed that the majority of individuals who committed amok were, in some sense, mentally ill. However, DSM-IV-TR does not break amok down into two official categories. The two forms are; beramok and amok. Beramok is considered to be the more common of the two and is associated with the depression and sadness resulting from a loss and the subsequent brooding process. Loss includes the death of a spouse or loved one, divorce, loss of a job, money, power, etc. Beramok is associated with mental issues of severe depression or other mood disorders. Amok, the rarer form, is believed to stem from rage, insult, or a vendetta against a person or society for a wide variety of reasons. Amok has been more closely associated with psychosis, personality disorders, bipolar disorder, delusions.Historical and cross-cultural comparanda
Early travelers in Asia sometimes describe a kind of military amok, in which soldiers facing apparently inevitable defeat suddenly burst into a frenzy of violence which so startled their enemies that it either delivered victory or at least ensured what the soldier in that culture considered an honourable death. This form of amok appears to resemble the berserkerBerserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
of the Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
, the cafard or cathard (Polynesia), mal de pelea (Puerto Rico), and iich'aa
Iich'aa
Iich'aa is a culture-specific syndrome in the Navajo culture.Per the DSM-IV-TR, the disorder is parallel to the concept of amok, in which individuals suddenly and violently attack others without clear prior motives....
(Navaho).
In contemporary Indonesia, the term amok (amuk) generally refers not to individual violence, but to apparently frenzied violence by mobs. Indonesians now commonly use the term 'gelap mata' (literally 'darkened eyes') to refer to individual amok.
Norse berserkers and the Zulu battle trance are two other examples of the tendency of certain groups to work themselves up into a killing frenzy. The 1911 Webster Encyclopedia comments:
In 1634, the eldest son of the raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
of Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
ran amok at the court of Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
, failing in his attack on the emperor, but killing five of his officials. During the 18th century, again, at Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Sindh
is the second largest city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the seventh largest city in the country. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot...
(Sind), two envoys, sent by the Jodhpur chief in regard to a quarrel between the two states, stabbed the prince and twenty-six of his suite before they themselves fell.
See also
- BerserkerBerserkerBerserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
- Grisi siknisGrisi siknisGrisi siknis is a contagious, culture-bound syndrome that occurs predominantly among the Miskito People of eastern Central America and affects mainly young women. It is also known as “grisi munaia”, “Chipil siknis” and “Nil siknis”...
- Going postalGoing postalGoing postal, in American English slang, means becoming extremely and uncontrollably angry, often to the point of violence, and usually in a workplace environment....
- TantrumTantrumA tantrum is an emotional outburst, usually associated with children or those in emotional distress, that is typically characterized by stubbornness, crying, screaming, yelling, shrieking, defiance, angry ranting, a resistance to attempts at pacification and, in some cases, violence...
- Psychogenic non-epileptic seizuresPsychogenic non-epileptic seizuresPsychogenic non-epileptic seizures , also known as Non-Epileptic Attack Disorders, are events superficially resembling an epileptic seizure, but without the characteristic electrical discharges associated with epilepsy. Instead, PNES are psychological in origin, and may be thought of as similar to...