Topic 1 - Historical context of mental health
Historical views of mental illness:
● Unusual patterns of thinking + behaviour were accounted for in various
ways e.g an indication of witchcraft, arising from intense religious
experiences, or the result of internal imbalances within the body
● In ancient greece, Hippocrates is credited with developing one of the
first systems of classifying mental illness, including mania, epilepsy +
paranoia
○ He proposed the theory that such disorders occurred as a result
of an imbalance of the humours in the body (blood, phlegm,
yellow bile
● During European Renaissance, there was a greater focus on
observation + classification of illness by symptoms and causes
● Gradually, the classification of mental disorders in Europe and the USA
became dominated by biological typology and medical ideas regarding
disease
Historical views of mental illness: history of psychiatric treatment
● Until 19th century, no public provision for those suffering with mental
illnesses, most ended up in workhouses, prisons or private ‘madhouses’
○ Generally unsuitable settings as they were run for profit rather
than for the therapeutic benefit of residents
● By mid-19th century, every region in the UK had a mandate to care for
their mentally ill in lunatic asylums + a period of mass construction
ensued
● Legal + social changes of this period were associated with changing
views of mental illness, concepts of ‘madness’ and ‘lunacy’ had long
been rich sources of entertainment in literature, theatre and art
● However the mentally ill were increasingly viewed as treatable and
requiring compassion
○ In UK, religious group ‘Quakers’ led early humanitarian reform of
asylums
■ Residents encouraged to rest, engage in physical work and
talk with others
● Modern psychiatric treatments were offered, e.g insulin treatment for
schizophrenic patients + ECTS + lobotomies
○ All of these have been discontinued except for ECT which is still
used but rarely, to help relieve symptoms of severe mood
disorders
● Significant advance was the introduction of medication for the asylum
patients such as chlorpromazine, the first antipsychotic drug
● Growing recognition and development of various forms of ‘talking’
therapies which could benefit patients
Historical views of mental illness:
● Unusual patterns of thinking + behaviour were accounted for in various
ways e.g an indication of witchcraft, arising from intense religious
experiences, or the result of internal imbalances within the body
● In ancient greece, Hippocrates is credited with developing one of the
first systems of classifying mental illness, including mania, epilepsy +
paranoia
○ He proposed the theory that such disorders occurred as a result
of an imbalance of the humours in the body (blood, phlegm,
yellow bile
● During European Renaissance, there was a greater focus on
observation + classification of illness by symptoms and causes
● Gradually, the classification of mental disorders in Europe and the USA
became dominated by biological typology and medical ideas regarding
disease
Historical views of mental illness: history of psychiatric treatment
● Until 19th century, no public provision for those suffering with mental
illnesses, most ended up in workhouses, prisons or private ‘madhouses’
○ Generally unsuitable settings as they were run for profit rather
than for the therapeutic benefit of residents
● By mid-19th century, every region in the UK had a mandate to care for
their mentally ill in lunatic asylums + a period of mass construction
ensued
● Legal + social changes of this period were associated with changing
views of mental illness, concepts of ‘madness’ and ‘lunacy’ had long
been rich sources of entertainment in literature, theatre and art
● However the mentally ill were increasingly viewed as treatable and
requiring compassion
○ In UK, religious group ‘Quakers’ led early humanitarian reform of
asylums
■ Residents encouraged to rest, engage in physical work and
talk with others
● Modern psychiatric treatments were offered, e.g insulin treatment for
schizophrenic patients + ECTS + lobotomies
○ All of these have been discontinued except for ECT which is still
used but rarely, to help relieve symptoms of severe mood
disorders
● Significant advance was the introduction of medication for the asylum
patients such as chlorpromazine, the first antipsychotic drug
● Growing recognition and development of various forms of ‘talking’
therapies which could benefit patients
