ataque de nervios

ataque de nervios

A term used among Caribbean Latinos for a culture-bound syndrome characterised by uncontrollable shouting, crying, trembling, aggressiveness, fainting episodes and suicidal gestures. An ataque de nervios often follows a stressful life event—e.g., death of family member, divorce or conflict with spouse or children; while it has features of a panic attack defined by the DSM-IV, an “ataque” usually follows a precipitating event, occurs in absence of acute fear or apprehension, and is accompanied by amnesia for the “ataque”.