Abnormal Psychology

History of Abnormal Demonology

Psychology  the doctrine that an evil being or spirit can
dwell within a person and control his
16th Century BC mind and body thereby can be treated by
exorcism, the ritualistic casting out if evils
 two Egyptians papyri provided clues to
the earliest treatments of diseases and
behavior problems
400 BC
 Edwin Smith Papyrus  Hippocrates (460-377 BC)
- detailed description of treatment for - denied that deities and demons are the
wounds and surgical operations cause of mental illnesses
- the human brain was described as the - believed that brain is the central organ
site of mental functions of intellectual activity
 Ebers Papyrus - possible causes of mental illnesses are
- covers internal medicine and heredity, brain injuries, and
circulatory system predispositions
- relies more on incantations and magic 3 categories of mental disorder
for explaining and curing diseases
1. mania - condition characterized by
with unknown causes
excessive excitement, agitation, and
sometimes irrational behavior
8th Century BC 2. melancholia – condition characterized
 mental health problems such as by profound sadness, depression, and
personality disorders were recognized in feeling of hopelessness
ancient Mesopotamia 3. phrenitis – condition characterized by
 antisocial personality disorder was fever, delirium, and inflammation of the
described in cuneiform tablets found in brain
Ashurbanipal (Iraq) - believed that hysteria was restricted to
 some noted descriptions of ASPD: women only (hystera = uterus)
» aggressiveness
» irritability
» lack of remorse
» hurting Dark Ages (Middle Age)
» mistreating
 church gained in influence and the papacy
» stealing from others
was declared independent of the state
» failing to conform  Christian monasteries replaced physicians
» impulsivity as healers and as authorities on mental
 behavioral problems were dealt through disorder
religious rites such as incantations and  monks cared and prayed for mentally ill;
exorcism concocted potions
 Abnormal Psychology
 mass madness – widespread occurrence  trials held to determine sanity
of group behavior disorders caused by  they attribute insanity to misalignment of
hysteria moon and stars
1. tarantism - it was characterized by
the belief that a person who was bitten Development of Asylums
by a tarantula spider would experience
a condition known as "tarantism" or  asylums are establishments for
"tarantismo." Those who believed they confinement and care of mentally ill
were bitten by a tarantula spider often  St. Mary Bethlem (1547)
displayed symptoms such as - originally a monastery established in
restlessness, agitation, and an 1247
irresistible urge to dance. - converted into an asylum in 1547 by
2. lycanthropy - rare psychological Henry VII
disorder in which an individual - also known as Bethlem Royal Hospital
believes they can transform into a or simply Bedlam
wolf or another animal. This condition  Public Hospital in Williamburg,
is often associated with delusions and Virginia (1768)
hallucinations, with affected - first ever hospital in the united states
individuals genuinely believing they intended for patients with mental
have the ability to physically change illness
into an animal, typically a wolf.
3. koro - is a culture-bound syndrome
characterized by the fear of one's
genitals (typically the penis or, less
Humanitarian Reform
commonly, the nipples or breasts)  Philippe Pinel (1745-1826)
retracting or disappearing into the - a physician from Labicetre (France)
body. individuals experiencing koro - condemned by the Revolutionary
often believe that this retraction will Commune because of his
lead to death. humanitarian beliefs
 persecution of witches – witchcraft was - he began treating patients as sick
viewed as instigated by Satan, was seen as human beings rather than being beast
denial of God  William Tuke (1732-1822)
- those accused of witchcraft should be - founded the York Retreat in 1792
tortured (England)
- historians concluded that many of the - patients with mental illness lived,
accused were mentally ill worked, and rested in a kindly,
religious atmosphere
Lunacy Trials (13th Century  Lunacy Inquiry Act (1842)
in England) - included a requirement that asylums
must be effectively inspected every 4
 municipal authorities assumed months
responsibility for care of mentally ill  Country Asylums Act (1845)
 Abnormal Psychology
- required every country to provide - to induce electric shock to the
asylum to paupers and lunatics patient’s brain
 electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
Other Early Approaches in - by Cerletti and Bini (1938)
- induced epileptic seizures with electric
Psychopathologies shock
 Dr. Benjamin Rush  prefrontal lobotomy
- believed that mental illnesses were - by Egas Moniz (1935)
caused by the different fluids on our - often lead to listlessness, apathy, and
body lack of cognitive abilities. referred
- used bloodletting and purgatives as nowadays as medical barbarism
remedies to this
 Tranquilizing Chair
- invented by Dr. Rush to restrain the
agitated patients in a wooden chair
with their head inserted in a wooden
box
 Trephination
- involves cutting holes on the skull
 Hydrotherapy
- patients were being submerged in ice-
cold water
 Tanking
- patients were routinely held under
water in a bathing tank
 eugenics
Moral Management - promotion of enforced sterilization
 insulin-com therapy
 emerged in late 18th century
- by Manfred Sakel (1927)
 treatment method focused on patient’s
- clients’ wills be injected high dosage
social, individual, and occupational need
of insulin to be comatose then recover
 emphasized patient’s moral, spiritual, and
character rehabilitation Mental Hygiene Movement
 achieved a high degree of effectiveness in
curing mental illnesses  Dorothea Dix
- her zealous campaign bet. 1841 and
Foundation of Biological 1881 arouse the people and
legislatures to do something about the
Approach inhuman treatment being given to the
psychiatric patients
 electrotherapy
- states responded to her appeals
- by Benjamin Franklin
 Abnormal Psychology
-credited for establishing 32 mental
hospitals
 Mary jane Ward
- published an influential book “The
Snake Pit” in 1946
- National Institute of Mental Health
was organized and provided support
for research and training through
psychiatric residencies