History of mental disorders

Mr. Ed

Life does not deserve my gratitude.
Location
Central NY
Historically, mental disorders have had three major explanations, namely, the supernatural, biological and psychologicalmodels.[1] For much of recorded history, deviant behavior has been considered supernatural and a reflection of the battle between good and evil. When confronted with unexplainable, irrational behavior and by suffering and upheaval, people have perceived evil. In fact, in the Persian Empire from 550 to 330 B.C., all physical and mental disorders were considered the work of the devil.

Mesopotamia​

Mental illnesses were well known in ancient Mesopotamia,[6] where diseases and mental disorders were believed to be caused by specific deities.[7] Because hands symbolized control over a person, mental illnesses were known as "hands" of certain deities.[7] One psychological illness was known as Qāt Ištar, meaning "Hand of Ishtar".[7] Others were known as "Hand of Shamash", "Hand of the Ghost", and "Hand of the God".[7] Descriptions of these illnesses, however, are so vague that it is usually impossible to determine which illnesses they correspond to in modern terminology.[7]Mesopotamian doctors kept detailed record of their patients' hallucinations and assigned spiritual meanings to them.[6] A patient who hallucinated that he was seeing a dog was predicted to die;[6] whereas, if he saw a gazelle, he would recover.[6] The royal family of Elam was notorious for its members frequently suffering from insanity.[6] Erectile

Egypt​

Limited notes in an ancient Egyptian document known as the Ebers papyrus appear to describe the affected states of concentration, attention, and emotional distress in the heart or mind.[8] Some of these were interpreted later, and renamed as hysteria and melancholy. Somatic treatments included applying bodily fluids while reciting magical spells. Hallucinogens may have been used as a part of the healing rituals. Religious temples may have been used as therapeutic retreats, possibly for the induction of receptive states to facilitate sleep and the interpretation of dreams.[9]
 


Back
Top