For example, biological psychologists suggest that mental disorders may be due to an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. In other words, there may be too much or too little of a certain neurotransmitter or hormone (i.e., bio-chemicals). These bio-chemicals can affect mood and behaviour, potentially causing mental illness.…
In principle, psychopathology is the scientific study of mental disorders and their origin; in addition, this field of study examines the causes, development, and possible treatment for the disorders. Essentially, psychopathology encompasses three aspects that are considered as directly related to the mental disorders. These facets include the biological considerations, social issues, and psychological aspects of any mental condition. In fact, the initial perception of mental illness was associated with religious issues such as possession by demons and evil spirits. However, famous ancient physicians like Hippocrates and Plato would disrepute this perception gradually transforming the view of mental disorders and its causes (Gutting 2008). In this regard, the research into the causes of mental disorders would shift focus from the religious beliefs to a more scientific approach. In respect to modern day research on mental disorders, this essay attempts to investigate the perception and causes of psycho – pathology.…
Hippocrates (c.460-377BC) made such an impression on medical history that his name is still very much associated with medicine today. All newly qualified doctors are required to take what is called the ‘Hippocratic Oath’ which is named after him. Hippocrates was the first person to say that people become ill because of scientific reasons and was therefore seen as the father of medicine (Trueman, C). Moving on a few hundred years, Galen (c.130-200AD), doctor to the gladiators viewed mental illness as something that could be fixed with diet, exercise and natural remedies. This period saw mental illness in terms of a medical model (Armstrong, S). During medieval times when the church was very powerful, disease was seen as the work of the devil. Anyone seen to be deviating from the norms of society were tortured, hanged and burned at the stake. This is demonstrated by The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 - at a time when a small pox epidemic and threats from warring tribes created a fertile ground for fear and suspicion, 150 men and women from surrounding towns were put into prisons, their names were 'cried out' by tormented young girls as a cause of their pain. This resulted in 19 of the 150…
Some of his other ideas are found in separate writings. In Hippocrates’ “Diseases,” he went further into the ideas of how the body worked, but focused more on the treatments of diseases. He delineated specific treatments for specific diseases throughout the majority of this essay, and went into detail about bleeding people or specific treatments. Treatments were suggested depending on what symptoms or signs the patient was showing. For example, Hippocrates had very deliberate instructions for the sign of a fever. Each treatment was interesting because his instructions were very specific about every step. For example, one of his steps included the instruction to “inject warm wine and oil into through a small tube.” The specificity of his writing indicated that the Greek view on health and maintenance of the body was highly regarded. The level of awareness for differing illness and their treatments showed that it was an important…
Before the progression of the 19th century people generally believed that practicing medicine was revolved around the belief in the four humors which consisted of black, yellow, blood and pleam. It was believed that if an imbalance of any of these bile’s were to occur, that diseases were sure to stem from them. Practices like bloodletting and exorcisms were performed to combat these imbalances. Although there was no real proof of these four biles or their connections with diseases, doctors continued their search the fact that doctors could do relatively little to treat disease during that time meant that they were not always…
Two groups of mood disorders are broadly recognized; the division is based on whether amanic or hypomanic episode has ever been present. Thus, there are depressive disorders, of which the best-known and most researched is major depressive disorder (MDD) commonly called clinical depression or major depression, and bipolar disorder (BD), formerly known as manic depression and characterized by intermittent episodes of mania or hypomania, usually interlaced with depressive episodes. However, there are also forms of depression of MDD and BD that are less severe and are known as dysthymic disorder (in relation to MDD) and cyclothymic disorder (in relation to BD).…
Although science isn’t certain of the exact mechanism that causes the onset of clinical depression, however, that uncertainly did not quell the firestorm of speculations about what was the impetus of clinical depression in human. For centuries mankind has speculated about what triggered it and continued in to the Renaissance. Philosophers and scientist supposed that bodily fluids called humors were responsible for our moods and personality. The black bile they called it, was the one that caused depression. And by the 17th Century, dualism- the separation of mind and body was the doctrine shaping the argument at the time. Subsequently, it was asserted that depression was a disease of the mind and came about as a result of something being off-centered in an individual’s physical or social environment. As the 20th century emerged, the man credited with being the father of psychoanalysis believed that a dysfunction of the brain would explain mental illness. As neuroscience advanced over the years, assessments by neuroscientist came to know that many cases of psychopathology surfaced because of dysfunctions in particular brain structures or particular brain chemicals.…
The humoral model of disease said that disease was caused by an imbalance in one or more of four "humors" or fluids in the body: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. Physicians would decide on a treatment based on what they thought was the cause of the imbalance. There were treatments that included the act of "blood-letting" where they would either cut the person, and allow them to bleed for a short time, or apply leaches to them to remove blood.…
In the world today, there is hardly a patch of land that has not been explored, examined, and put into the archives of human knowledge. There is one place however, that continues to be a clouded region of mystery even in the eyes of experts, this place being the human mind. Although countless experiments, studies, and examinations of the mind have been conducted, and humans may have made enormous advancements in knowledge of the mind, there continues to be a cloak of shadows in the way, concealing some of the brains most hidden secrets. This becomes even more mystifying when considering how unique each individual person is, in other words, each human mind contains secrets that no other human possesses. It is enchanting to think about the knowledge one could gain simply by being able to peer into the mind of another with the ability to comprehend their thoughts, memories, and subconscious. When speaking of the human mind, however, it may not be as light-hearted as one may think. All people have the…
When we think of Ancient Medical practices, we may imagine gruesome and even torturous events; however, it cannot be more far from the truth. With a rational and systematic approach when treating and diagnosing patients, Ancient Greek medicine played a significant role in influencing modern day practice. Furthermore, influential figures such as Hippocrates and Anaximander developed theories and concepts vital in explaining and diagnosing illnesses. Although there are various theories and practices that are imperative, I believe that the Four Humors, The Book of Prognostics, and De Materia Medica are the most important aspects of Ancient Greek medicine.…
Everyone has a personality with character traits, but when these traits are rigid and self-defeating, they may interfere with functioning and even lead to psychiatric symptoms. A psychological disorder is describe as any disturbance of emotional equilibrium, as manifested in maladaptive behavior and impaired functioning, caused by genetic, physical, chemical, biological, psychological, or social and cultural factors. Schizophrenia is a disease that strikes people in their prime. It does not matter who you are, you can be diagnosis with schizophrenia. Many people all over the world are affected by bipolar disorders. There are two phases of bipolar manic and depressive. There are many new types of treatments used, such as drug therapy and psychological therapy.…
The bio medical model evolved as a response to diseases in the 19th century. German psychiatrists then used this model, based on their beliefs and not hard evidence, to categorize the symptoms of mental distress into distinct conditions, one of which was Schizophrenia (Bentall, 2003).The model suggests that mental health is an illness, characterised by specific symptoms that…
personalities. This particular mental illness is found in "3 to 4% of people hospitalized for other mental health…
Strict speaking, disease or illness can affect only the body” hence, there can be no mental illness. Mental illness is a metaphor. Mind can be sick only in the sense that jokes are sick or economies are sick. Psychiatric diagnoses are stigmatizing labels, phrased to resemble medical diagnoses and applied to person whose behavior annoys or offends other. Those who suffer from and complain of their own behavior are usually classified as neurotic those whose behavior makes other suffer, and about whom others complain, are usually classified as psychotic.…
Mental health plays a role in everyone’s lives if they know it or not. Record of mental illness dates back as early as 3500 BC in ancient Mesopotamia as evidenced by the discovery of trephined skulls. Along with Mesopotamia, the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and India attributed the will of the gods or demonic possession to why individuals would act outside of the norms of society, when the root of the problem had less supernatural reasons, and was actually caused by mental illness. Hippocrates was the first to introduce the concept of disturbed physiology as the basis for all illnesses. (Lyons) This placed mental illness on the same level as other medical disorders from the belief that the mentally ill are genuinely suffering,…
