What do you think you know about mental illness?

In the past were known as an affliction that invaded a person’s mind Labels such as witches, evildoers, and lunatics Ways of dealing with mental illness: Rituals performed by shamans, magicians, and priests Potions to rid the body of “evil” spirits that had invaded the psyche Exorcisms were carried out

Mentally ill were possessed and being punished by God for wrongdoing Prayer and ceremonies used in attempt to cure possession Trepanation-procedure whereby a hole is drilled in the head in an attempt to release evil spirits

Mental disorders originated from imbalance of four body fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile Term melancholy – state of depression or sadness; derived from word elements: melan, meaning “black”, and chole, meaning “bile”

Witchcraft and demonic possessions were the cause of insanity Treatment Persecution Restraining, Starvation Beating Drowning

Belief that movements of the moon and the stars caused madness Terms lunacy and lunatic Derived from the Latin word luna, meaning moon

Abnormal behavior was thought to be demonic possession Resolution: “dunking test” (ultimate no win test) If the individual drowned, he/she wasn’t possessed If the individual did not drown, he/she was in allegiance with the devil and must be stone to death

This is when the special institution were built to house the mentally ill Insane asylums Unsanitary living conditions Mentally ill subjected to public beatings London’s St. Marys of Bethlehem asylum Known as “Bedlam” meaning noisy, confusion, uproar

1700’s French physician Philippe Penel Introduction of the concept of exercise, fresh air, and cleaner environment for mentally ill 1840’s Dorothea Dix, American schoolteacher Persuaded state legislatures to provide state funds for improved mental institutions 1883 Emil Kraeplin, German psychiatrist Developed system for diagnosing and classifying mental illness