Chiyamai', a panic‐like disorder in woman divers from Hegura Island

• Published in: Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences 1998-08, Vol.52 (4), p.425-427
• Main Authors: TOCHIMOTO, SHINICHI, KITAMURA, TATSURU, KURATA, KOICHI, NAKAMURA, ICHIRO, KOSHINO, YOSHIFUMI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age of Onset; anxiety disorder; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Chiyamai; Diagnosis, Differential; diving; Diving - psychology; Female; Hegura Island; Humans; Japan; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Panic Disorder - diagnosis; Panic Disorder - psychology; panic‐like attack; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Severity of Illness Index; woman divers
• ISSN: 1323-1316; 1440-1819
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1819.1998.00419.x

In Hegura Island, Japan, we have recently found female divers who suffer from a disorder called `Chiyamai'. From interviews, questionnaires and temporarily proposed diagnostic criteria for Chiyamai, nine cases from 44 female divers interviewed, were diagnosed as having Chiyamai. Clinically, Chiyamai is characterized by a panic‐like attack. Ten symptoms were observed during a panic‐like attack, compared with 13 symptoms in a panic attack described in the DSM‐IV. The average age at onset was 30 years and the average duration of illness was approximately 26 years. Several cases were so severe that the patients were unable to continue diving. Additionally, we report a typical case of Chiyamai, and discussed the similarities and differences between Chiyamai and anxiety disorders in the DSM‐IV. We suggest that Chiyamai is a panic‐like disorder specific to female divers from Hegura Island and that it is a result of heavy diving.