Mental disorders have been treated over time starting as early as 5,000BC. Three of the most pivotal times in history began with the Neolithic Era commonly known as the New Stone Age. Following that is the Middle Ages which then lead us to present day. The ways of treatment have gradually changed with the development of new science and medicine. The knowledge needed to advance medical treatments have come from thousands of years of trial and error. Medicine is still improving each day leading doctors to find new ways to better treat mental disorders. People that had mental illnesses in the New Stone Age were believed to be demonic or even to be an angry God coming down to punish everyone for committing sins. Due to the of the lack of knowledge …show more content…
The rise of Christianity was greater than the attempt to gain more knowledge of science and nature. In doing so, those who challenged or did not view Christianity as the answer for everything were charged as being a heretic. The people of this era once again believed that anyone with a mental disorder had some sort of supernatural force possessing over them. With the addition to the brutal exorcisms that priests would cast on the ill, monks would treat them with sympathy. This was believed to help by allowing them to rest and receive prayer for then the spirit would be revived and healed. Being beaten, starved, and immersed in water to drive out the devil were many of the continuous therapies that were thought to help as well they thought. Instead, various forms of mass madness broke out in major cities. Groups of people could not control their emotions and resulted in blindness or paralysis for no apparent reason. This hysteria also formed into mass dancing, jumping, wild raving, and shaking throughout Europe. The cause of the outbreaks was associated with the stress and fear of the bubonic plague, war, famine, and the social economic status of the people of the
The epidemic affected Europe culturally, as the citizens developed an excessive reliance on religion as an answer for their tragedy. Additionally, the Black Death shifted the people’s social perspectives; they lost compassion for the sick and indulged in selfish desires. Finally, the pestilence altered the Europeans’ mental state, as their appreciation of life itself diminished, since the rapid spread of the plague caused torrential death rates across Europe. In response to the Black Death, the people of Europe became passionately pious, for they viewed their misfortune as a punishment from God and, thus, believed the only way to bring about continental happiness was through religion.
Herbal remedies are not as simple as just determining the illness and giving the prescribed medicine, without having knowledge of the body. The fundamental element of medicine in the Medieval time period is the theory of humours. This theory followed through until they reach the 19th century where more modern analysis could conducted. Humours also known as principle fluids are made up of four different fluid found in each individual: black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm. Each of the fluids are found in different organ of the body, black bile resides in the spleen and is the cause for melancholy, yellow bile is secreted by the liver and can cause irascibility, phlegm comes from the lungs and can be denounced to sluggishness, and the final
The year is 1615 in Colonial America. Colonists face several different problems: war with natives, rivalry with Spain, inability to adapt to the new climate...and, for Colonists suffering from a mental illness, there was the very real fear of being killed or thrown out into the wild. During this time period (and for many thousands of years before), the explanation for mental illness was simple--clearly a demon had possessed their soul(Leupo). As time progressed, stigmas around mental illness progressed as well. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not so much.
Throughout recent years, mental illness has become a belittled and “taboo” topic in a multitude of different societies. As a result, a majority of the world’s population isn’t exactly clear as to how one should approach those suffering from mental instability. Unlike physical illness, where an entire system of doctors and hospitals and medical research developed in order to cater to those who were physically ill, mental illnesses do not get nearly as much attention. Some would argue that a physical illness proves to be significantly more detrimental to one’s day to day life. However, observation of mentally ill individuals proves that mental illness can be as equally debilitating (you probably know someone in your life who has died from the
The issues of mental illness have been around from the start of human existence. Mental illness is considered any psychiatric disorder that cause untypical behavior. Questioning happened more in the 1930’s when more problems came around and how to fix it began to arise. Mental illness included the diseases, the cures, One of the illnesses that was very common was Schizophrenia. This is a” long-term mental disease that affects how your brain works.
“Many cultures have viewed mental illness as a form of religious punishment or demonic possession. In ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, and Roman writings, mental illness was categorized as a religious or personal problem (“"Mental Health Hospitals and Deinstitutionalization”).” This quote shows that even in the ancient civilizations, people viewed mentally ill people as being “possessed” but really it was the lack of understanding and religious fervor that led to this conclusion. Some of the treatments they used were, “Priests often solaced mentally disturbed individuals by encouraging them to repent their sins and seek refuge in God’s mercy (Foerschner, par. 2).” They would make them go to church regularly, and go on holy pilgrimages to
When people hear the words, “mental illness,” they think of insane asylums and psychiatric wards, but that’s not necessarily the case. Yes, back in the 1800’s they did have asylums for people with mental disorders. But that was when doctors didn’t fully understand mental illnesses and disorders. But currently, doctors are able to comprehend illnesses and disorders.
Euripides’ Medea, is a play that follows the journey of a young woman seeking vengeance against her husband, well now ex-husband. The steps she takes to get her revenge make Medea seem like a monster. However, her actions and the torments she has endured make it appear as though she may suffer from a mental illness. So the question is, does Medea have some form of mental illness, or was she just enraged by the injustices committed by her “loving” husband? Evidence leans more toward her being mentally unfit than her being a murderer.
During the mid-fourteenth century, a plague hit Europe. Initially spreading through rats and subsequently fleas, it killed at least one-third of the population of Europe and continued intermittently until the 18th century. There was no known cure at the time, and the bacteria spread very quickly and would kill an infected person within two days, which led to structural public policies, religious, and medical changes in Europe. The plague had an enormous social effect, killing much of the population and encouraging new health reforms, it also had religious effects by attracting the attention of the Catholic Church, and lastly, it affected the trade around Europe, limiting the transportation of goods. As a response to the plague that took place
“When we was coming down I looked through one of them windows. I saw the other part of the plane. There were flames coming out of it”(Golding 8). The novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding starts with a group of boys whom their plane is shot down, as the story takes place in World War Two. The British boys are stranded on the island with no adults around.
In a study by Sarah Garcia-Siberman (1998:1-12), mental health issues can be seen at any age from the very young to the elderly, those with a higher level of education are less likely to develop cultural-bound syndromes. They are more likely to seek out the assistant of mental health providers (psychotherapy) and take medication (pharmacological treatment) if needed. This makes since to me, when someone is educated and are able to cope with the stresses of everyday life, the person is better equip to deal with whatever changes occur, making mental health issues less likely in this population. The older population and those that have little to no education, view these syndromes as evil, spiritual possession, or witchcraft, which can only be cured through herbal remedies, religious or shaman healers, and ritual ceremonies (Piñeros 1998:1425). If a culture is isolated and has no contact with civilization, I can see why they would not be able to seek professional help.
“It’s exhausting to fight a war inside your head every single day”(Mickie Ann). This is what it feels like to have a mental disorder. Mental disorders are mostly seen as crazy psychopaths from people who do not know a person with a mental disorder however, that is not the case. Many Americans struggle with different types of mental disorders like OCD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, schizophrenia, personality disorders, eating disorders, and more. Everyone with a mental illness mostly lives in their heads and treating these disorders provides a great relief for many.
What would one expect the personality of a man whose father was murdered by his uncle, who becomes his step-father? The personality in question points to Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark—who William Shakespeare depicts in his play “Hamlet.” A character analysis of Hamlet reveals that through his internal dialogue, his interpretation of his father 's murder, and his actions, his traits—bitterness, depression, and anger—emerge. Scholars have studied Hamlet for decades, and most have concluded that Hamlet 's personality indicated insanity. However, after observing Hamlet 's actions, his actions throughout the play do not resemble those of an insane person.
The one most important thing to know about the comparison between mental health and mental illness is that “mental illness does not discriminate; it can affect anyone regardless of your age, gender, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background or other aspect of cultural identity. While mental illness can occur at any age, three-fourths of all mental illness begins by age 24” (“What is Mental Illness” 5 ). Mental illness can happen to anyone at anytime and it can take any
Why do the people of today still associate stigma, shame and blame with mental health issues? Mental health issues are extremely and widely misunderstood. Despite the fact one in four people are likely to experience some kind of mental health problem a year in the United Kingdom. “Mental health is a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being and it affects how we feel, think and act. It also helps to determine how we handle situations such as stress, how we relate to others and how we make decisions.