a review of mental disorders in iranian folklore

medical science in any country is intermingled with folklore. this admixture is seen more in the field of psychiatry than in other fields of medicine. this article first presents the diefinitions of culture, etiology, and attitute toward illness, and then reviews the common belefs or cultrual viewpoints regraridng diseases such as cold and warm temperaments, affliction by an evil eye and methods of combatting it. finally, the article discusses the reasons for iranian patients' disbelief in psychiatrists, and how the patients express or evidence their psychiatric illnesses. it is argued that the psychiatric residents' and the young psychiatrists' familiartity with their own country's culture, will increase the patients' trust in psychiatrists and will also increase their chances of success as therapists.