RESEARCH
esis has been provided to account for its geographical magnitude. This could suggest that Uppgivenhetssydrom is culture-bound; that cultural expectations and beliefs influence symptom expression. "I think it is a form of protection, this coma they are in," says Dr. Elisabeth Hultcrantz, a physician with the Doctors of the World Sweden. Over the years, Dr. Hulcrantz has treated more than forty children with diagnosed Uppgivenhetssyndrom; often, providing pro bono consultations and treatments for families all across Sweden. Being one of the few physicians eager and willing to treat this mysterious illness, Hultcrantz defines Uppgivenhetssydrom as a condition "where the body and soul dissociate." Despite the patient recovering within months or years, there is no apparent biomedical cure. However, one proven remedy exists--the restored hope in their family's safety and well-being. The reasons for this illness are often chalked up to be malingering syndrome or Munchausen by proxy--both discriminately blaming the parents for their child's illness. But as Dr. Hultcrantz expounds, "When I explain to the parents what has happened, I tell them the world has been so terrible…they have gone into
themselves and disconnected the conscious part of their brain." A large majority of healthcare professionals are confident trauma and dread were two critical factors in understanding this mysterious illness as many of the affected children have reportedly witnessed extreme acts of violence executed upon themselves and their parents. Notably, one child was forced to watch their family friend being tortured and shot at point-blank range after being found guilty of owning a Wi-Fi company. Despite these accounts of severe trauma, right-wing politicians, xenophobic individuals, and even a few physicians believe the children are entirely faking their symptoms. The children are deemed "bratty" and "unruly"; this is simply a con to manipulate the immigration system into remaining in Sweden or a means for a young child to act out their favorite fairytale stories. On popular Swedish conservative websites, where conspiracy theorists frequent, an archive of podcasts and blog posts concerned with Uppgivenhetssydrom dominate the political arena. One podcast, in particular, infamously known as Weekend Warrior, attempts to persuade its viewers that these apathetic children are paid actors on behalf of the parents and further claims that pro-immi-
gration activists are "suckers." This questioning attitude to this tragedy affects the medical response and treatment for these children--making a case for anti-deportation laws and advocating for cultural sensitivity. While this investigation into Uppgivenhetssydrom details the horrific conditions forced on emotionally scarred children, this phenomenon also exposes gaps where human rights have unequivocally failed. With growing political and nuclear tensions growing worldwide, we have to ask ourselves: How long until this syndrome reaches the rest of the world? If slipping into a coma is synonymous with the safety of a cocoon, how dire are our children's lives? Although Sweden has been deemed the most "refugee-friendly" country in all of Europe, overburdened welfare systems compounded by scarce public resources exacerbate the fear that Sweden will soon turn away vulnerable families. As over 163,000 people applied for asylum in Sweden in 2015, the country took in more refugees per capita than any other country in the continent. The Swedish Migration Board is "the authority that considers applications from people who want to take up permanent residence in Sweden, come
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