About Mental illness

A person who was mentally ill would be seen as being possessed by demons or supernatural forces. This person would have got holes bored in his/her head to release the demons, a process called trephination Egyptian and Stone Age

Ancient Societies The literature of ancient Greece and Rome contains evidence of the belief that spirits or demons cause mental illness. The early Babylonian, Chinese, and Egyptian civilizations also viewed mental illness as possession, and used exorcism—which sometimes involved beatings, restraint, and starvation—to drive the evil spirits from their victim.

Classical Period Greeks were the first to introduce the belief that humans are capable of understanding and controlling their lives. The Greek physician Hippocrates believed that all illnesses, including mental illnesses, had natural origins.

Hippocrates classified mental illnesses into categories that included mania, melancholia (depression), and phrenitis (brain fever), and he advocated humane treatment that included rest, bathing, exercise, and dieting. He believed that the brain was responsible for not only our intellectual abilities but also our emotional problems. This naturalistic type of treatment lasted until A. D.

The Middle Ages Mental illness involved the devil along with demons and witches. People who were viewed as abnormal were executed/tortured or given a “prescription”. The Islamic world of North Africa, Spain, and the Middle East generally held far more humane attitudes toward people with mental illnesses.

Known for the rise of Humanism. A cultural rebirth occurred at this time, and the mode of transferring information was now accessible. Renaissance- 14th Century He acquired this title because he was a medical doctor, and he began giving descriptions of medical disorders. Additionally, he said that people could be bettered by a therapeutic relationship.Johann Weyer was considered the first psychiatrist.

The Age of Enlightenment During the Age of Enlightenment, in the 18th and early 19th centuries, people with mental illnesses continued to suffer from poor treatment. Yet as the public’s awareness of such conditions grew, improvements in care and treatment began to appear.

In 1789 High standards of hygiene,recreation and work opportunities, In 1796 To rest peacefully, talk about their problems, and work. Eventually these humane techniques became widespread in Europe.

Reform in the United States By the mid-18th century, American physicians came to view mental illnesses as diseases of the brain. In 1752 The first hospital in American established Nevertheless, circumstances for most mentally ill people in the United States, especially those who were poor, remained dreadful.

Overcrowded and understaffed, psychiatric hospitals had shifted their treatment approach from moral therapy to warehousing and punishment. In 1909Ensure humane treatment of the mentally ill. In 1908 Clifford Whittingham Beers aroused new concern for mentally ill individuals

In 1972 Recent Developments The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) was founded. Cut back on funding for social services.During the 1980s Health insurance companies and health maintenance organizations put stricter limits on mental health care.

In 1997 Prevent discrimination against people with mental illnesses. In recent years World Health Organization have developed mental health policies that seek to reduce the huge burden of mental illness worldwide.

~S M i L E ~ Thanks for your attention.