The making of a multicultural psychiatrist

Abstract

The author grew up in Goa, a unique bicultural setting on the western coast of India. Goa came under Portuguese rule in 1510 AD and remained under the Portuguese until 1961 when it became part of India. The Indian and Portuguese cultures interacted in Goa and led the Goans to create an interesting blend in which elements of both cultures were made to reconcile. The author reviews his experiences in this setting and describes how his family background, his search for roots, and his exposure to two religions, two languages, and two cultures fostered his decision to study medicine, his passion for transcultural psychiatry, and eventual pursuit of an academic career in this field in the United States. Research and reflections are presented on the impact of colonization, migration, and acculturation, and the importance of the construct of demoralization.