From Superstition to Science: The Evolution of Mental Health Understanding and Treatment

Imagine waking up one day with symptoms of depression, feelings of guilt, lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed, and persistent fatigue. Today, a doctor or psychologist would likely diagnose you with depression and offer treatment options. But what if these symptoms appeared at a time when there was no understanding of depression?

Consider experiencing severe migraines, characterized by intense headaches, nausea, and light sensitivity. Today, migraines are diagnosed and treated with a range of medical interventions, from medications to lifestyle adjustments. But imagine living in an era before the understanding of migraines. Such symptoms might be seen as signs of mystical or supernatural forces, leading to treatments involving rituals or exorcisms. This illustrates how medical knowledge transforms the perception and treatment of conditions over time.

This article aims to explore how mental health conditions have been addressed throughout history, tracing the evolution of psychiatry and the changing perceptions of mental illness. 

Ancient Period 

Supernatural Beliefs:

One ancient belief that is still encountered today holds that mental illness can be explained by supernatural and magical knowledge such as evil spirits, or the devil. People believe that the reason why the affected person is behaving this way is because a negative energy or bhoot has captured his/her body. Then methods like Exorcism, i.e. removing the evil that resides in the individual through countermagic and prayer were used as treatment for the person.

These practices are widespread even today, when doctors confront the patient’s family about the severity of the illness, to avoid pain or anxiety people take the help of religious ojhas. Through the ojha baba, an afflicted person can learn which spirits are responsible for her/his problems and what needs to be done to appease them.

Brain/Skull Surgery Methods:

One ancient belief that was proven to be very dangerous for humans was trephination, which was characterized by digging holes in the skull using stone instruments so that the evil spirit could move out of the body. There are many instances where patients showed drastic positive results but most of the time either the patients went silent for life or died during the process. This brain method to improve mental health problems was proved wrong later. 

Galen’s Humoural Theory 

Galen went into more detail about how the four senses of humour influence temperament and personal character. He said that the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water were the components of the material world and that these elements combined to make the four basic bodily fluids—blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm.

Just like that. Each of these fluids was seen to be responsible for a different temperament. Imbalances among the humors were believed to cause various disorders. This is similar to the Indian notion of the three doshas of vata, pitta and kapha mentioned in the Atharva Veda and Ayurvedic texts. 

Middle Age 

Demonology:

In the Middle Ages, demonology and superstition gained renewed importance in the explanation of why people reacted differently. Demonology is related to a belief that people with mental problems were evil and there are numerous instances of witch hunts during this period. 

Mass Madness:

During this period there was an outbreak of mass madness, it seemed like everyone had some disorder. The two most famous disorders were Tarantism; the abnormal desire to dance in inappropriate places and Lycanthropy; abnormally growing hair on the body like a wolf; it was believed that people who have this disorder were possessed by a wolf spirit. 

Amid the Christian charity movement in the Middle Ages, St. Augustine wrote a great deal on emotions, mental pain, and conflict. This established the foundation for contemporary theories that explained these phenomena. 

The Renaissance Period

There was a noticeable rise in humanism and behavioural curiosity at this time. Psychological disorders are mostly caused by psychological conflict and dysfunctional interpersonal connections, according to Johann Weyer. Furthermore, he maintained that “witches” needed medical care rather than religious care because they were psychologically ill. He emphasized that people who are mentally disturbed needed love and care to overcome the challenges so he introduced the humanitarian approach. This period saw an increase in asylums all over the world. 

Age of Reason and Enlightenment 

The scientific approach superseded faith and supernatural explanations of mental health patients during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a period known as the Age of Reason and Enlightenment. The eighteenth century saw the development of a scientific mindset regarding psychiatric diseases, which aided in the Reform Movement and raised sympathy for those who suffered from these conditions. Asylum reforms were started in both America and Europe. 

The trend toward deinstitutionalization, which prioritized community care and rehabilitation for mentally ill people who had recovered, was one facet of the reform movement. 

The Brain and Behavior Theory 

The modern approach to mental disorders posits that unusual behaviours and symptoms often stem from disruptions in the body and brain’s functioning. Advances in neuroscience and medical research have linked various mental health conditions to specific biological processes, such as neurotransmitter imbalances or structural brain abnormalities. Consequently, treatments targeting these underlying biological issues—like medications, brain stimulation therapies, or correcting hormonal imbalances—can significantly enhance functioning and alleviate symptoms.

Read More: The Principle of Mentalism

The Current Approach 

The current approach categorizes mental problems as follows:

• Psychodynamic Theory is of the view that intrapsychic conflicts, i.e. the conflicts that are present within the psyche of the person, are the source of psychological problems. 
• According to Behavior Theory, psychological problems arise due to faulty learning of behaviours and cognitions. 
• The Existential Theory postulates that the questions about the meaning of one’s life and existence are the cause of psychological problems. 
• Social/Environmental Theory explains that people’s experiences whether negative or positive are reasons for any abnormality shown by the person. 
• Biological Theory believes that a wide range of biological factors such as faulty genes, endocrine imbalances, malnutrition, injuries and other conditions may interfere with the normal development and functioning of the human body. These factors may be potential causes of mental disorders. 

Read More: What is Existentialism?

Take Away

Today, modern theories like psychodynamic and behavioural theories to existential, social, and biological explanations, highlight the progress made in the field of psychiatry and underscore the importance of continuing to develop scientific, evidence-based approaches to mental health care. The understanding and treatment of mental health disorders have undergone a profound transformation throughout history, each era has contributed to the evolving perception of mental illness.