Greek Mental Illness

There are many different advances, as well as advantages and disadvantages, in the treatment of mental illnesses. But to understand why the treatments are the way they are today, knowing the background would greatly suffice in the understanding and comprehension. The treatment of mental illness dates back as early as 5000 BCE, where they believed that mental illness was a result of supernatural occurrence such as spiritual/demonic possession, sorcery, the evil eye, or an angry deity (spirit). So they had responded with equally mystical, and sometimes brutal, treatments. During Neolithic times, which are also referred to as the New Stone Age, a form of treatment called trephining first occurred. During this procedure, a trephine, or hole, was chipped into the skull using crude stone instruments.

Not all of the treatments ended in death of the person. Pressure on the brain may have also remotely been relieved; this procedure advanced throughout the centuries to treat many other illnesses such as skull fractures and migraines. The ancient Egyptians seem to be the most advanced in their treatment of mental illness. They recommended that those with mental illnesses engage in activities such as concerts, dances, and painting in order to decrease symptoms and attain some sense of normality. The Egyptians were also very exceptional in medicine, surgery, and the knowledge of anatomy (www.studentpulse.com N/A). A Greek physician Hippocrates treated mental illnesses as to be understood in terms of disturbed physiology, instead of in a religious belief or manner. Eventually Greek medical writers set out for treatments for mental illness of people which include quiet, occupation, and the use of drugs such as the plant purgative hellebore (www.pbs.org