[4] Additional symptoms include grief,[4] chronic stress or burnout,[4] low self-esteem,[4] solitude,[4] increased irritability,[4] and a sense of not being oneself.
Physically, individuals with kufungisisa often report body aches,[1] pain,[1] headaches,[1] insomnia,[1] stomach ulcers,[1] and unintended weight loss.
[7] This concept of “overthinking” as a key experience of different mental illnesses has been observed in various other countries around the world, such as Uganda,[7] Tanzania,[7] Australia (“kulini-kulini”),[8] Nepal,[7] Nicaragua (“pensando much”),[8] Cambodia,[7] and Haiti (“kalkile twop”).
[8] Kufungisisa is an idiom that often suggests both interpersonal and social issues and can manifest as a range of physical and mental ailments, such as feelings of negative rumination, pain, irritability, depression, and anxiety.
[3] In psychiatric settings, it has been referred to as a non-specific neurotic mental illness, while the base description is simply “feeling stressed.” Increased usage of kufungisisa can help with acceptance and awareness of the condition.
[3] Symptoms of illnesses such as anxiety and depression can be commonly understood in Zimbabwe using terms such as kufungisisa (‘thinking too much’), kusuwisisa (‘deep sadness’), and moyo unorwadza (‘painful heart’).
The presence of both poverty and patriarchal structures in Zimbabwe can place significant pressure on women in these communities, which can result in the development of mental disorders or kufungisisa.
In a study done in the rural area of the Shurugwi District in Zimbabwe, it appeared that the convergence of poverty and patriarchy is where women tend to experience kufungisisa.