Abnormal psychology is a division of psychology that studies people who are "abnormal" or"atypical" compared to the members of a given society.
An aspect of abnormal psychology has continuous debate in the cause of mental illness. Throughout history, people have
developed a variety of theories to explain psychological disturbances.
Generally, these theories have fallen on one of three general themes:
mystical/supernatural, scientific/medical, or humanitarian.
I have laid stress on Mystical explanations which regard abnormal behavior as the result of possession by spirits. The differing etiological theories as well as advancing knowledge have had large impact on the treatment of those with psychological disorders. The earliest treatment of mental disorders was practiced by stone age cave dwellers some half million years ago. The early shaman or Medicine man, treated the mental disorder by means of an operation now called "Trephining". The operation was performed with hard stone instruments which consisted of chipping away one area of the skull in the form of a circle until the skull was cut through, this opening was called "trephine", presumably permitted the evil spirit that was thought to be causing all the trouble to escape and may relieve certain amount of pressure on brain. Trephined skulls of primitive people show healing around the opening, indicating that the patient survived the operation ad lived for years.
The clue on treatments of diseases and behavior disorders was provided by two Egyptian Papyri during 16th century B.C. Edwin Smith Papyrus and Ebers Papyrus namely, Each gave two different perspective about humans mental function and mental disorder.
*Edwin Smith Papyrus contained description on treatment for wounds and other surgical operations. Brain is described possibly for the first time and brain was recognized as the site of mental functions.
*Ebers Papyrus offered another description which covered internal medicine and the circulatory system but relies more on incantations and magic for explaining and curing diseases. It had unknown causes. It probably had prayers rather than surgical techniques of cure. These reflecting the view of origin of behavior disorders.
The context of Demonology, gods and magic to abnormal behavior in early research shows that the Chinese, Egyptians, Hebrews and Greeks often attributed abnormal behavior to demon or god who had taken possession of a person. The possession performed was assumed to involve good spirits or evil spirits usually depended on individuals symptoms. If a person's speech or behavior appeared to have a religious or mystical significance usually was thought that he or she was possessed by good spirit and were treated with respect and believed to have supernatural powers. When a person became excited or overactive and engaged in behavior contrary to religious teachings, were considered to be possessed by angry god or evil spirit. The treatment was exorcism which included magic, prayer, incantation and noise making.
Early Medical Concepts During Hippocrates period we can see considerable progress in the
understanding and treatment of mental disorders, in spite of the fact that
Greeks of the time considered the human body sacred, so little could be learned
of human anatomy or physiology. Hippocrates was often referred to as the father of modern medicine made substantial contributions to the field.
Hippocrates
denied that god and demon intervened in the development of illnesses and
insisted that mental disorders had natural causes and
appropriate treatments. He believed that the brain was the central organ of
intellectual activity and that mental disorders were due to brain pathology.Hippocrates classified all mental disorders into three general
categories—mania, melancholia, and phrenitis—and gave detailed clinical
descriptions of the specific disorders. He relied heavily on clinical
observation, and his descriptions, which based on daily clinical records of his
patients.Hippocrates considered dreams as an
important aspect in understanding a patient’s personality. The treatments
advocated by Hippocrates were far in advance of the exorcist practices.
Hippocrates emphasis on the natural causes of diseases, on clinical
observation, and on brain pathology as the root of mental disorders.
Greek and Roman philosophers and physicians gave different
explanations for abnormal behaviors. Hippocrates taught that illnesses had
natural causes. His perception of abnormal behavior was as a disease from
internal physical problems. He believed a form of brain pathology was the
reason and resulted from an imbalance of the four humors, fluids that flowed
through the body. The four humors were as follows: yellow bile, black bile,
blood, and phlegm. Too much yellow bile caused mania, a state of frenzied activity.
An excess of black bile caused melancholia, unshakable sadness. To treat the
dysfunctioning humors, Hippocrates attempted to correct the levels of bile. He
believed the black bile could be reduced by a quiet life, a diet of vegetables,
temperance, exercise, celibacy, and bleeding. Other philosophers who believed
in this theory include Plato and Aristotle.
The Views of the Middle Ages, When Rome fell, the church became more powerful and
controlling. Behavior was viewed as a conflict between good and evil. Society
blamed the devil for troubles such as war, urban uprisings and plagues.
Abnormal behavior increased greatly and outbreaks of mass madness, where large
numbers of people shared delusions and hallucinations. Another disorder,
tarantism, became known where groups of people would suddenly start to jump,
dance, and go into convulsions. These people believed they had been bitten by a
spider, the tarantula, and danced to cure their disorder.
Exorcisms were brought back to the light. Priests would plead, chant or pray to make the evil spirits flee. If the exorcism did not work, torture was performed. When the Middle Ages came to a close, demonology and its methods were lost from view. Medical theories of abnormality took religion's place to help the mentally ill. Lunacy trials were held in England to determine the sanity of individuals. Sometimes a hit of the head or fear of one's father were held responsible for an individual's unusual behavior. During these years, many individuals with psychological disturbances received treatment in medical hospitals in England.
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