Historical views on mental health

Question 1

Describe the supernatural/demonic possession belief.

Answer 1

• Ancient Egyptians believed that mental health was caused by evil spirits trapped inside their heads.
• Trepanning was used as treatment: drilling holes into skulls to release the spirits.

Question 2

Describe the imbalance of 4 humours belief.

Answer 2

• Hippocrates believed mental illness was due to natural occurances in the body.
• Body was made of 4 essential fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile. An imbalance of these fluids lead to mental illness.
• Treatment was emetics, laxatives, leeches and bloodletting so the 4 humours could be brought back to balance.

Question 3

Describe the hospital movement belief.

Answer 3

• 1800s was the asylum age which was funded to treat the mentally unstable away from the community. Asylums had very poor living conditions and treatments.
• 1960s there was a rise in ECT, psychosurgery and medication that focused on correcting chemical imbalance in patients.
• Medical model lead to the deinstitutionalisation movement, closing of asylums.