Historical views of mental illness

Question 1

What is a historical view of mental illness?

Answer 1

During ancient Greece times, Hippocrates a Greek physician theorised that mental health was caused by physical entities called the four humours: yellow bile, black bile, phlegm and blood. He believed that mental illness was caused by an imbalance of these entities. For example, depression was said to be caused by an excess of black bile, which was treated through dieting and laxatives.

Question 2

What are the strengths of this historical view of mental illness?

Answer 2

• Hippocrates led to the understanding of the use of medicine to treat mental illness, for example herbal remedies.
• Led to the understanding that people with mental illnesses should be treated with care and looked after

Question 3

What are the limitations of this historical view of mental illness?

Answer 3

• Reductionist as it simplifies mental health and the human mind as being dictated by the balance of the four humours. Ignoring other factors that can affect mental illness such as biological factors.