History of Psychiatry. From Antiquity to Modern Times

History of Psychiatry. From Antiquity to Modern Times. Introduction

Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders. It is a diverse and scientifically dynamic field, recognized for its significant advancements in recent decades.

The history of psychiatry explores the evolution of scientific, social, and medical approaches to mental illness. Our understanding of mental health disorders has shifted over time, from religious interpretations (such as demonic possession) to the humoral theory of bodily fluid imbalances, as seen in ancient texts like the Corpus Hippocraticum and expanded by Galen.

Despite changes, fundamental psychiatric questions, such as the relationship between mental disorders, culture, and the individual, have remained consistent across ancient, medieval, and modern medicine.

Psychiatry’s history is uniquely complex, deeply tied to intellectual and social developments, making it difficult to summarize without oversimplification. This article provides a basic introduction, outlining key psychiatric concepts from antiquity to the present, but cannot substitute for detailed study.

Mental Health Ilnesses in Prehistoric Times

Our knowledge of prehistoric times, prior to the invention of writing, is still incomplete. Still, it is reasonable to suppose that back then people believed in the existence of the divine and spiritual entities influencing life on earth, often represented by the movement of the sun and planets or by natural phenomena like wind, lightning, thunder, or earthquakes. Through the prism of magic, they provided an explanation of the unknown and the belief in the protection by the divine.

In the early civilisations, people created mythology, full of gods sometimes benevolent, sometimes destructive, or evil. Contrary to prehistoric times, gods were imagined as anthropomorphic beings.

Animistic, Mythological and Demonological Phases

Three stages of the old sacred approach can be distinguished: “animistic,” “mythological,” and “demonological.” Notwithstanding their disagreements, they were all of the opinion that abnormal human behaviour, now identified as mental illness, resulted from supernatural acts under the power of outside forces.

The Animistic Phase

Primitive humans believed that animistic spirits could explain unexplained behaviour. This worldview attributed occurrences to natural elements like weather, animals, or plants. The reasoning during this phase was emotional and pre-logical. According to this theory, living things like trees and animals had an impact on people’s minds and souls. The incomprehensible and unpredictable were given explanations by magic and supernatural ideas.

The Mythological Phase

The supernatural powers were converted into tangible myths during the mythological phase. The belief that certain spirits were responsible for all aspects of existence and that certain gods could cure illnesses with the right kind of prayer.

The Demonological Phase

The myths of the mystic phase were transformed into formal theological structures, including Judeo-Christian beliefs. Here, two conflicting forces fought for supremacy: the negative, represented by destructive demonic powers of evil, and the positive, symbolized by a loving God.

It was believed that these spirits—both good and evil—inhabited people suffering from mental illnesses, instilling fear of demonic possession as a form of retribution for disobeying the gods. This incredibly basic demonological belief system served as the foundation for early “therapies” like starvation, shock, and surgery.

Magicians and Priests

According to this theory, priests and magicians had a big impact on society. By promising to “cure” physical illnesses and “cleanse” mental problems, they preyed on people’s worries. They offered comfort in the face of life’s constant anxieties. Healing was monopolized by a chosen few in the hierarchical system that the priests and magicians were arranged in. This system is still in place in some cultures today.

China, India, and Babylonia

Early contributions from China, India, and Babylonia shed light on prehistoric understandings of mental health.

Babylon

Babylonia was a significant Middle Eastern civilization whose ideas influenced Mediterranean philosophy. Babylonian ideas are the source of many Greek and Roman customs. The astronomical world captivated the Babylonians, who ascribed divine meaning to stars and other heavenly entities. They considered there to be disputes between the gods and turned to magic, prayer, and the healing abilities of priests or doctors for assistance. The Babylonians connected supernatural powers to illness by attributing a demon to every disease. For example, the demon Idta was blamed for insanity.

Ancient China

The Neijing, China’s first medical text, was written between 300 and 100 B.C. and included descriptions of illnesses like delirium and epilepsy. Emotional stress, unfavourable weather, and poor air quality were all blamed for mental disorders. Yin and yang were two philosophical ideas that were important to Chinese medicine. It associated personality types with the elements—earth, fire, water, wood, and gold.

Later, Chinese medicine concentrated on the activities of the organs, ignoring the brain and attributing the heart to the mind, the liver to the spiritual soul, the lung to the animal soul, the spleen to thoughts and intelligence, and the kidneys to vitality and will. Acupuncture, conventional medicine, folk remedies, and “talk therapy” were popular forms of treatment in China.

Physical and mental issues coexist. The link between the mind and body was not stressed. Mood disorders and mental health issues have been associated with irregular menstruation, frequently manifesting somatically. For instance, the Chinese term for “depression” actually meant “stagnation,” which denoted a blockage in the flow of vital air. Examples of “deceiving sickness” (hysterical neurosis) amid difficult circumstances were shown in Chin-Yue’s Medical Book. Excessive worry was blamed for sexual impotence. Chinese psychiatric notions were organized into stages that were comparable to those in the West: supernatural, natural, somatic, and psychological. But in contrast to early European medicine, religion had less of an impact on Chinese medicine.

Ancient India  

Indian civilizations have historically been interested in comprehending and treating mental health issues. Susruta, an Indian physician who lived before Hippocrates, recognized the connection between intense emotions and mental illnesses. Hindu medicine identified three natural tendencies: animalistic impulses in the abdomen, impetuous passions in the chest, and enlightened goodness in the brain. A famous ancient text called Caraka Samhita described life as a corporation of the body, psyche, and soul, stressing the mind’s function in reasoning and self-regulation.

The earliest official medical system in India, Ayurveda, combined mental and physical health, stressing the significance of maintaining a balance between the mind and the self. Doshas, ‘which are comparable to Greek medical humors, were introduced into the Hindu medical system. It was once thought that food varieties had an impact on mental and personality traits. A variety of personality types were linked to mental illness and linked to hereditary, temperamental, and dietary factors.

Ancient Egypt

The heart was thought to be the core of mental activity in ancient Egypt. Supernatural ideas were entwined with observed phenomena, mainly astronomical occurrences that were revered as the mysterious abilities of gods. As Egyptian academics researched the brain over time, they came to understand that it was the center of mental activity. Similar to Greek theories, it was believed that moving the uterus would cure emotional disorders by removing the source of the “hysteria” they caused.

Ancient Greece

Insanity was seen as a heavenly retribution for sins in the early Greek society. Rituals were used to cleanse the body from impurities that were creating psychological diseases. Priests played the roles of intermediaries between ordinary people and the divine.

Greeks understood in later times that their illogical view of mental illness needed to be modified. They moved from mystical justifications to a more tangible, natural viewpoint. The creative minds of the fifth and sixth centuries B.C. were the driving forces behind this change. Greek thinkers like Thales and Pythagoras aimed to reduce the complexity of the cosmos by determining its primary element, be it fire, air, or water.

The Pythagorean

Pythagoras highlighted how crucial it is to pinpoint scientific principles in order to account for all types of behaviour. A revolutionary in his day, Pythagoras asserted that the brain was the center of human intellect and the cause of mental illnesses. In order to understand the causes of aberrant passions and behaviours, he created ideas like biological humor and emotional temperament. He thought that these ideas related to human nature, morality, and religion in addition to mental illness. According to him, mental existence is a mirror of the coexistence of opposing forces like good and evil, love and hate. He thought that opposing rhythmic processes, like inspiration and expiration or sleep and awake, governed life itself.

According to Pythagoras, symptoms of psychic illness resulted from an imbalance of these fundamental harmonies. He believed that the soul could ascend or descend from the body, and that a balanced, healthy soul was like sun energy.

Pythagoras separated the soul into three categories: impulse, which comes from physical energy; intelligence, which synthesizes sensory perceptions; and reason, which stands for truth. The brain held the intellectual side of the soul, while the heart held the irrational side.

Plato

One of the most important thinkers in ancient Greece, Plato, made important advances in our knowledge of the complexity of the mind. He recognized a number of major motifs that are linked to mental illnesses and processes. First of all, he proposed that strong emotional factors could alter a person’s usual behaviour. These factors have the potential to elevate strong emotions, overpowering everyday decisions and reasoned cognition. Second, Plato emphasized the possibility of psychological conflicts. He discussed the conflict that exists between emotional impulses and logical desires, pointing out that this internal struggle may have an effect on one’s behaviour and mental health.

Furthermore, Plato believed that irrational superstitions and false beliefs, rather than ignorance, were the cause of mental illnesses. He thought that everyone had an innate animal character that occasionally led to irrational behaviour. His observations of dreams, where strange things happened and strange associations between thoughts and visuals sometimes occurred, confirmed this theory.

Plato argued that all forms of mental problems may be addressed and modified via therapeutic efforts. He promoted the dialectical paradigm, which laid the foundation for modern cognitive therapies by involving patients in reasoned discussions to alter their belief systems.

Aristotle

Aristotle, the most eminent pupil of Plato, abandoned his teacher’s idealistic and abstract methods in favour of more grounded and concrete topics. The philosopher and scientist Aristotle wrote one of history’s earliest comprehensive and methodical explanations of psychology, astronomy, physics, biology, and politics. Aristotle, in contrast to Plato, placed more emphasis on the use of sensory-based observable facts and the necessity of experimental verification. He was the first significant philosopher to focus on tangible experiences perceived by the senses, utilizing an inductive and empirical approach.

Aristotle valued Plato’s abstract rationalism, but he was more interested in solving practical problems than in abstract ideas or high-level abstractions. He held that in order to reduce subjective interpretations, data has to be based on empirical observables. Even with his empirical method, Aristotle understood that the mind was more than the senses. He suggested that imagination may be able to create abstract concepts that go beyond simple sensory perceptions.

Aristotle’s theories

But not every one of Aristotle’s theories held water. He mistakenly felt that the heart was the seat of these psychological experiences, despite data showing that the brain was the focus of cognition and emotion. Nevertheless, Aristotle made important advances in our knowledge of dreams, emotional catharses, and cognitive processes. Aristotle saw dreams as reflections of the events of the day before, identifying their possible biological purpose and utilizing the information they contained to assess possible pathology.

From the standpoint of a natural scientist, Aristotle’s wide and creative horizons encompassed the mental features and motivations. He put up a psychobiological theory that described the fundamentals of human perception and reason, stressing the significance of sensory perceptions for impartial experimental research.

Aristotle also created a model of learning that was based on the principles of association. He stressed the value of early life experiences and education in the development of skills as well as the way habit and practice influence and form psychological attitudes.

Mental health Illnesses in Ancient Rome

Between the seventh century B.C. and the fifth century A.D., known as the Roman era, there were notable developments in our understanding of mental health. The Roman Republic, which lasted from the fifth century B.C. to the third century A.D., made great attempts to exclude superstition and magic from discussions of mental processes throughout this time. Transcendental mythology resulting from ignorance and fear was rejected in favour of a mechanistic and materialistic understanding of mental illnesses. The Romans thought that the periodic expansion or constriction of the pores in the brain was the source of mental diseases rather than any mysterious forces or biohumoral imbalances. This corpuscular hypothesis proposed that adjusting the diameter of these pores may preserve mental health, drawing inspiration from Democritus’s atomistic ideas.

In this case, the symptoms of mental diseases were used to categorize patients. A strictum state was defined as being enthusiastic, delirious, and aggressive, whereas a laxum state was defined as being afraid, despondent, and apathetic. In cases where both sets of symptoms co-occurred, a mixed state was recognized. This early classification system shows that the Romans made an effort to methodically understand and treat mental health issues.

Aretaeus

Aretaeus (30–90 A.D.), a vitalist philosopher, was one of the important personalities of this era. He came to embrace the idea that the soul is physically embodied in breathing, the natural or animal spirit. Aretaeus made important contributions, despite the fact that his writings were not well known in his day, in part because they were written in the Ionic dialect rather than Latin or Greek. He proposed that psychological disturbances sprang from the irregularities of the soul. As per Aretaeus, all types of mental abnormalities originated from the links between humors, the breath, and solid organs. Anger and fury, for example, stirred black bile, which produced sadness, while fear and oppression stirred yellow bile, which raised brain temperature and caused irritability.

The premonitory symptoms of epilepsy that Aretaeus described were very remarkable; they included vertigo, nausea, and the impression of sparks, colours, loud noises, or sickening scents. In addition, he investigated the causes and traits of fanaticism and developed a psychosomatic theory that proposed emotions to have an impact on metabolism. He explained cyclothymia, pointing out the alternating periods of mania and depression. He also distinguished between various forms of mania, such as those that were characterized by grandiosity, superficiality, and childishness.

Aretaeus’s Description of Depression

Aretaeus’s observations reinforced the theory that mental illnesses were overblown manifestations of regular processes. He said that there was a direct correlation between a person’s typical personality features and the symptoms they exhibited when they were ill. For his day, his ability to distinguish between illnesses based on symptom constellations was astounding.

Although Hippocrates was the first to present a medical description of depression, Aretaeus offered a comprehensive and up-to-date depiction of the condition. He suggested that there were psychological reasons for melancholy that had nothing to do with bile or other body humours. Aretaeus was also the first to describe manic-depressive illness.
Aretaeus also made a substantial contribution to the humanistic school of early Rome philosophy. He instituted long-term patient follow-up investigations, which monitored the patients’ lifespan course, recurrence of normal behaviour patterns, and periodic disease signs.

Premorbid states should be understood as vulnerabilities or susceptibilities to certain clinical syndromes, as Aretaeus’s work highlighted. He discovered psychological characteristics that predisposed people to particular illnesses, such as maniacs’ anger and delight and depressive people’s gloominess and reality. Since the melancholy that Aretaeus described is still present today but goes by different names in the psychiatric community, his insights are still pertinent.

Aretaeus left behind a legacy of meticulous psychological condition descriptions, compassionate patient comprehension, and systematic attempts to compare clinical syndromes. His research demonstrated the enduring value of empirical observation and long-term patient care, and it set the foundation for contemporary mental diagnosis and therapy. His contributions bridge the gap between ancient and modern perspectives on psychological well-being and highlight the advancements made in the understanding of mental health during the Roman era.

Claudius Galenus

Known by most as Galen, Claudius Galenus (131–201 A.D.) was a crucial figure in Roman medicine during his lifetime. Born in Asia Minor, he was a Greek subject of the Roman Empire and lived to witness important political and cultural shifts in Rome. Galen introduced his own noteworthy advances and was also instrumental in maintaining past medical knowledge. Galen, who lived more than 600 years after Hippocrates, adopted the Hippocratic emphasis on examination and observation in medical practice. He promoted theories based on scientific data and argued against unproven philosophical and archaic theories.

Spiritus Anima of Galen

Galen gave experience-based information precedence over reasoned theories devoid of empirical evidence, drawing inspiration from both Aristotle and Hippocrates. He was sceptical that psychological and environmental elements might affect how a disease developed in humans, even using this scientific technique. He established the idea of “spiritus anima,” implying that humans contained an extra physical life-giving energy that distinguished organic from inorganic matter, but he refrained from philosophical talks regarding sickness.

Galen separated these animalistic spirits into two categories: those with directional functions, such directing imagination, reason, and memory, and those in charge of sensory perceptions and motility, whose deficiency would result in neurological symptoms. According to him, modifications to the second set of functions are what cause the majority of psychiatric symptoms. Galen proposed that an obstruction or incompleteness of the imaginative faculty resulted from the paralysis of the animal spirits in his description of catatonic psychosis. He rejected Hippocrates’ theory of hysteria, which connected the illness to a wandering uterus. Rather, Galen suggested that a lack of adequate sexual activity led to the formation of toxic fumes in the vagina and uterus, which in turn indicated a lack of proper sexual hygiene and the development of hysterical symptoms.

The Humoral Theory of Galen

Galen’s theory of mental pathology was based on his knowledge of central nervous system physiology. He defined mental disorders as a set of symptoms from which a particular problematic symptom could be distinguished, and he saw clinical symptoms as indicators of malfunctioning brain processes. His organic functional approach held that a variety of pathogenic elements, including poisons, humours, vapours, fever, or emotions, affected the brain physiologically and changed its psychic functioning, resulting in mental symptoms.

Between Mediaeval Superstitions and Ancient Beliefs

Galen’s writings serve as a link between the superstitious ideas that dominated later Roman and mediaeval thought and the empirical methods of ancient Greece. He placed equal emphasis on observation and factual data, but he also held the view that animal spirits, or pneuma, were responsible for the mind’s processes. While the presence of supernatural powers contributing to mental disease concealed his understanding of mental health disorders, it established the ground for future medical achievements.

Over the course of the next millennium, Galen’s influence increased, and his opinions became nearly infallible. Numerous subpar doctors summarized and discussed his writings, some of whom distorted his work to support their positions. Galen made a great contribution to medicine, and no other historical figure had such a lasting impact, even though some of his ideas were later diluted and disproved.

Earlier Christianity and Mental Health Illnesses

As Roman history developed, a systematic theology that combined magic, superstition, and faith healing came to be known as Christianity. The teachings of the early Christian churches dominated Western philosophy, medicine, and mental health up until the 17th century. The majority of people in this age were still illiterate, and education was primarily religious. There was hardly any scientific foundation for comprehending mental illnesses; instead, faith served as the main source of guidance.

A distinction was made in the first two to three centuries A.D. between those who were mentally well and questioned church doctrine and others whose strange ideas were ascribed to mental illness. Both of them were punished for being related to the departure of the common belief of Christianity. On the other hand, people admired absurd or senseless behaviour that showed a strong devotion to church leaders.

By the third century, doctors’ approaches to psychic disease had become moralistic and judgmental as a result of Christianity. They suggested that mystical occurrences beyond the realm of reason produced mental illnesses. Doctors thought demons frequently manifested as confused humans and that it was their responsibility to locate and exterminate these demons. This prepared the way for a resurgence of superstitions and supernaturalism, which lasted until the end of the 17th century.

Saint Augustine (c. 354-540)

St. Augustine of Hippo, sometimes known as Aurelius Augustine, played a significant role in bridging the gap between early Roman and mediaeval philosophy. His writings attempted to integrate Christian and Greek views on mental illnesses. Augustine was a prominent philosopher who influenced Christian thought for many years. He held that God was the source of all knowledge and that only he could offer the absolute truth. The ultimate goal was to know God, and straying from this conviction resulted in error and corruption. Augustine highlighted that people might live lives of grace and honour by using their religion to comprehend the nature of life as children of God.

Psychology in Early Islamic Medicine

Prominent individuals including Rhazes, Unhammad, and Avicenna made substantial contributions to medical and psychological theory throughout the early Muslim era. These people contributed novel theories on mental disease that had a long-lasting effect on the development of medicine.

Rhazes (860–930)

Prominent in the late 9th and early 10th centuries, Rhazes (860–930) is renowned for his abundant writings on philosophical, theological, psychological, and medicinal topics. Rhazes fiercely resisted the demonological view of disease and the arbitrary use of authority to establish scientific reality. This was in contrast to the predominant religious orientation in Baghdad. He argued against the superstitious ideas prevalent in his era and in favour of a logical theory of illness. Hippocrates and Empedocles developed the theory of the four elements, which Rhazes incorporated into his logical framework while remaining practically minded.

Unhammad (870–925)

Rhazes’s contemporary, Unhammad (870–925), made important advancements in the categorization of mental illnesses. His in-depth patient observations led to the creation of the most thorough nosology ever, which describes nine main categories of mental disorders that include thirty distinct diseases. One of his many contributions was a very good explanation of ruminative and anxious states of doubt, which fit in well with our current knowledge of obsessions and compulsions. Muhammad also recognized illnesses related to a man’s stage of life and those that are degenerative. He used the Greek word for mania to characterize excessive enthusiasm and elaborate, grandiose, and paranoid illusions, in which the inflated sense of self leads to socially inappropriate behaviour.

Avicenna (980–1037)

Known as the “Galen of Islam,” Avicenna (980–1037) was a profoundly famous physician and philosopher. Beginning in the tenth century, his comprehensive work, the Canon of Medicine, was the preferred medical textbook at universities throughout Europe. Even though Avicenna was more of a systematizer than a creative thinker, he consolidated previous research on medical events. Avicenna, like Galen, focused on the relationship between strong emotions and different physiological and medical conditions, but he also completely accepted Hippocrates’ humoral theories of temperament and mental illness. Among Avicenna’s academic contributions were his assumptions on the brain’s potential role in intellectual dysfunctions. He proposed that these problems might result from abnormalities in the brain’s middle ventricle and that the frontal lobes of the brain mediate common sense and reasoning.

With their departure from superstitious and demonological explanations and their adoption of a more logical and empirical approach, these early Muslim thinkers made a fundamental contribution to the knowledge of mental health. Unhammad offered a thorough categorization of mental illnesses, Rhazes promoted reason and empirical research, and Avicenna combined prior research while offering his unique insights into the workings of the brain. Their combined efforts impacted European medical practices for centuries as well as the Muslim world, laying the foundation for later advancements in psychological and medical science.

Europe’s Dark Ages

The Middle Ages, sometimes known as the Dark Ages, were a time of great turmoil, superstition, and a sharp contrast to the progressive beliefs of classical intellectuals like Hippocrates. The sophisticated scientific and medical knowledge of Greco-Roman antiquity was mostly repressed or forgotten after the fall of the Roman Empire. Rather, demonology, superstition, and exorcism returned to Europe, leading to the disastrous witch hunts and generalized fear of Satanic influences.

The Reduction in Hippocratic Theory

Hippocrates’ enlightened beliefs, which placed an emphasis on natural causes and cures for illnesses, were all but abandoned following Galen’s passing and the fall of the Roman Empire. Throughout almost a millennium, ancient customs and beliefs prevailed throughout Europe. The Greco-Roman naturalism of this era was either rejected or perverted into ideas of magic and demonology. In contrast, the Middle East was able to maintain the naturalistic and humanistic tenets of Hippocratic philosophy, continuing to be a lighthouse of scientific advancement in the middle of Europe’s decline.

Fear and Superstition in Mediaeval Europe

Demonic possession became more widespread in mediaeval Europe and was frequently associated with widespread starvation and illness. The use of the poor and mentally ill as scapegoats and the suspicion of demonic curses accompanied their confused and exhausted appearances. This time period was characterized by wild mysticism and widespread hysteria, which gave rise to phenomena like “tarantism” and St. Vitus’s Dance, in which entire villages would engage in frantic dancing and other unpredictable behaviours thought to be the result of demonic possession.

Inquisition

When it came to treating mental illness, the Inquisition Monasteries provided prayer, incantations, and minor exorcism as treatments. But when social unrest and natural disasters increased, mental illnesses came to be perceived as signs of sin and Satanic influence. Theological views changed over time to regard those who were afflicted as voluntarily joining Satan’s cause, which resulted in cruel punishments such as hunger, whipping, and stake burning.

The conviction that there was a global Satanic plot to destroy Christianity served as the main driving force behind these actions. Pope Gregory IX and other religious leaders spread this rumor, which led to the creation of the Inquisition in 1233. The goal of the Inquisition was to eliminate heretics, witches, and anybody else thought to be an agent of Satan, as they were thought to be attempting to destabilize society and the Church. The frenzy was exacerbated by manuals such as the “Malleus Maleficarum,” written by Heinrich Kramer and Johann Sprenger, which offered comprehensive instructions for locating, questioning, and punishing those who were suspected of practicing witchcraft.

This pervasive superstitions and dread had disastrous results. When people were suspected of witchcraft, torture was frequently used to force confessions; this resulted in many executions by burning, beheading, or strangling. This heinous pandemic ravaged both Catholic and Protestant areas, including a few American colonies.

Making the Shift to Modern World

The steady move towards humanism and scientific analysis that rose in the modern era began in the fifteenth century, when the mediaeval era came to an end. As they arose, individuals like Juan Luis Vives and Desiderius Erasmus questioned the prevailing superstitious and dogmatic beliefs. Churchman Erasmus promoted a new humanism that placed more emphasis on the straightforward and compassionate teachings of Christ than on the dogmatic ceremonies and immoral practices of the Church. The Spanish Jew Vives made a substantial contribution to educational reforms and was a strong supporter of the humane treatment of mentally ill people.

Moving away from the ancient and demonic interpretations that had dominated the Middle Ages, this period of transition established the foundation for a more logical and humane understanding of mental disease. Modern psychiatric philosophy began with the gradual acknowledgment of psychological processes as natural rather than metaphysical, which ultimately led to more compassionate and scientific approaches to mental health.

In conclusion, the Middle Ages were a complicated era when superstition, fear, and religious dogma overshadowed reason and humanity. The terrible outcomes of this time, such as the extensive witch hunts and the persecution of mentally ill people, serve as a sobering reminder of the risks associated with superstition and ignorance. The eventual shift towards humanism and scientific research made it possible to approach mental health in a more enlightened and compassionate manner, highlighting the continued significance of reason and empathy in human society.

History of Psychiatry. From Antiquity to Modern Times. Summary

Due to the scarcity of archaeological data, our understanding of the ancient era is still incomplete. However, it makes sense to suppose that prehistoric people accepted mythical and magical explanations for things they were unable to comprehend. Both good and malevolent animistic spirits roamed the universe, taking possession of people as a kind of retribution for disobeying the gods.

Ancient societies with distinct viewpoints on mental health included China, India, and Babylonia. The Babylonian culture had a significant impact on early mystical beliefs and intellectual ideas in the Mediterranean region.

Thales and Pythagoras established the foundation for a more scientific knowledge of mental processes with their creative viewpoints and contributions. They replaced the emphasis on ethereal explanations with tangible, natural ones that were based on things that could be seen.

Modern psychology and psychiatry emerged as a result of the paradigm shift that these forward-thinking intellectuals brought about by questioning the status quo. Their continuing impact serves as a reminder of the significance of their contributions to our knowledge of the human mind.

Aristotle and Plato made fundamental contributions to our knowledge of the mind and its illnesses in ancient Greece. Plato concentrated on the interaction between emotional and mental energies as well as the possibility of therapeutic intervention through dialogue and instruction. By stressing empirical observation, cognitive processes, and the concrete components of human experience, Aristotle deepened our understanding and laid the foundation for upcoming scientific and psychological perspectives.