ABPSYCH - HISTORY

What is psychological dysfunction?

John believes that strangers on the street are secretly talking about him and plotting against him, even though there is no evidence. Because of this, he avoids going outside, has stopped working, and feels constantly anxious.

What does Deviance mean in defining abnormal behavior?

Ella insists on walking only backwards whenever she goes outside, even in crowded public places. She believes it is the only “safe” way to avoid accidents, even though people around her stare and find it unusual.

How is Distress used to define abnormality?

Carlo has been experiencing constant feelings of hopelessness and intense sadness. He struggles to sleep, loses his appetite, and can no longer focus on his work. Because of this, he has been absent from his job for several weeks.

What does Dysfunction refer to in psychological disorders?

Liza suddenly finds herself unable to remember simple daily tasks, like turning off the stove or locking the door. She often bursts into tears without knowing why and has difficulty controlling her anger toward loved ones.

When is Danger considered a sign of abnormality?

Mark has been feeling extremely hopeless and has started talking about wanting to end his life. He recently attempted to drive recklessly at high speed, putting both himself and other drivers at risk.

What are the four D’s used to define abnormality?

Deviance, Distress, Dysfunction, and Danger.

What is Animism?

In a remote community, people believe that trees, rivers, and even stones have soul that must be respected and offered rituals. Outsiders may view this belief as unusual, but within the community, it is a widely accepted practice.

How did prehistoric people view mental illness?

As the result of spirits entering and taking control of a person's body.

What is trepanning, and why was it used?

In ancient times, a healer drills a small hole into a patient’s skull, believing that this will allow the evil spirits causing strange behaviors to escape and restore the person’s health.

What is exorcism in the context of prehistoric mental health treatment?

A village healer performs chants, dances around a fire, and uses smoke and herbs in a ritual to remove evil spirits believed to be causing a person’s unusual behavior.

What happened if exorcism failed in prehistoric times?

The person was ostracized—cast out of the group along with the spirit.

What is the Wandering Womb theory?

An ancient belief that the uterus could move freely throughout a woman’s body and attach to different organs, causing illness.

What symptoms occurred if the uterus moved to the heart?

Epileptic-like convulsions, anxiety, and vomiting.

What was the "push-pull principle" in treating a wandering womb?

• Pull: Perfumes and gentle massage to lure the uterus back to its proper place.

• Push: Foul smells like garlic or burning dung to drive the uterus away from where it attached.

Who was Hippocrates?

A Greek physician known as the Father of Modern Medicine.

What did Hippocrates believe caused mental illness?

Internal bodily dysfunctions, especially problems in the brain due to trauma or disease.

What were some mental illnesses identified by Hippocrates?

Phrenitis, mania, melancholia, epilepsy, hysteria, and Scythian disease.

What are the Four Humors in Hippocrates’ theory?

• Yellow bile (from the liver)

• Black bile (from the spleen)

• Blood (from the heart)

• Phlegm (from the brain)

What happens when the Four Humors are imbalanced?

It results in physical and mental illness, including disorders like melancholia and mania.

What was Plato's view on responsibility in mental illness?

He believed that individuals with mental illness were not responsible for their actions.

What kind of treatment did Plato advocate for the mentally ill?

Humane treatment and care.

According to Plato, what causes maladaptive behavior?

Social and cultural influences, and the type of learning a person is exposed to.

Who was Galen?

A Greek physician who expanded on Hippocrates' ideas and linked physical disorders to psychological factors.

What was Galen’s view on the cause of hysteria?

He believed that hysteria had a sexual basis

What are Galen’s Four Temperaments?

• Sanguine – sociable, lively (linked to blood)

• Melancholic – analytical, quiet (linked to black bile)

• Phlegmatic – relaxed, peaceful (linked to phlegm)

• Choleric – ambitious, leader-like (linked to yellow bile)

What did Galen believe about the relationship between the mind and body?

That psychological factors could influence physical health and disorders.

What did Aristotle believe about the soul's role in living organisms?

He believed the soul is the form-giving principle of an organism.

Where did Aristotle believe the soul was located?

In the heart.

According to Aristotle, which organ was not responsible for thought and emotion?

The brain.

Who were Asclepiades and Cicero?

Asclepiades was a Roman physician, and Cicero was a Roman philosopher

What theory did Asclepiades and Cicero reject?

Hippocrates’ theory of the Four Humours.

According to Asclepiades and Cicero, what caused melancholy?

Emotional states such as grief, fear, and rage.

What is the concept of contrariis contrarius?

A treatment method involving the use of opposing (conflicting) stimuli to restore balance.

What is Group Hysteria or Mass Madness?

A phenomenon where large groups of people display the same symptoms and share similar false beliefs.

What is Tarantism?

A dancing mania believed to be caused by the bite of a tarantula.

What is Lycanthropy in the context of mass madness?

A belief that a person is possessed by a wolf and behaves like one.

How did society react to mass hysteria during witch-hunting periods?

By persecuting supposed witches, often using them as scapegoats.

What was the treatment for possession during mass madness outbreaks?

Exorcism – a ceremonial ritual to drive out evil spirits.

What was the supposed "cure" for witchcraft?

Destroying the witch’s physical body, often through execution.

Who was Paracelsus?

A physician who believed that the movement of the moon and stars affected a person's psychological functioning.

What celestial bodies did Paracelsus believe influenced mental health?

The moon and the stars.

Where does the term "lunatic" originate from?

From the Latin word luna (meaning "moon"), reflecting the belief that the moon could cause madness.

What idea did Paracelsus promote regarding mental illness?

That mental disturbances might be influenced by external natural forces, such as planetary movement.

What happened to mentally ill patients at the Hôpital Général of Paris?

They were chained up and displayed publicly, with visitors charged a fee to view them.

What was St. Mary’s of Bethlehem in London known for?

Patients were chained and kept on long leashes; the institution became known as "Bedlam."

How were the mentally ill treated at Bethnal Green in London?

Confined in dirty quarters with hands and feet bound.

What were conditions like for mentally ill patients at Pennsylvania Hospital (U.S.)?

"Lunatics" were kept in cellars, chained to the wall by waist and ankle, and whipped from time to time.

Who was Philippe Pinel?

A French physician considered the founder of psychiatry.

What major reform did Pinel advocate for in the treatment of the mentally ill?

Moral treatment, which included sympathy, respect, and empathy.

What is Philippe Pinel best known for in the history of mental health care?

Releasing mentally ill patients from chains and promoting humane treatment.

Who was William Tuke?

A Quaker tea merchant and mental health reformer.

What significant institution did William Tuke establish?

The York Retreat.

Why is the York Retreat important in the history of mental health care?

It provided humane treatment for the mentally ill and became a model for future mental health institutions.

How did William Tuke’s work influence mental health legislation?

His efforts helped pave the way for the County Asylums Act of 1845.

Who is considered the Father of American Psychiatry?

Benjamin Rush.

What did Benjamin Rush advocate for in mental health treatment?

Humane treatment of the mentally ill.

Despite his progressive views, what outdated practices did Benjamin Rush still use?

Bloodletting, purgatives, and reliance on astrology.

What is Benjamin Rush's legacy in psychiatry?

He laid the foundation for American psychiatry by combining compassion with early medical approaches, despite using now-outdated methods.

Who started the mental hygiene movement in the United States?

Dorothea Dix.

What was the main focus of the mental hygiene movement led by Dorothea Dix?

The physical well-being of patients with mental illness

How did Dorothea Dix contribute to mental health care reform?

She helped establish over 30 mental institutions in the United States.

What lasting impact did Dorothea Dix have on mental health care?

She improved conditions for the mentally ill and promoted the creation of state-funded asylums.

Who was Emil Kraepelin?

A German psychiatrist who developed a classification system for mental disorders.

What was Emil Kraepelin’s major contribution to psychiatry?

He developed a classification system for mental disorders, detailed in his Compendium der Psychiatrie.

What symptoms did Kraepelin group together under “dementia praecox”?

Catatonia, hebephrenia, and paranoia.

What term did Emil Kraepelin use for what is now considered schizophrenia?

Dementia praecox.

What important distinction did Kraepelin make in diagnosing mental illness?

He distinguished manic depression (now bipolar disorder) from dementia praecox (now schizophrenia).

Who was Richard von Krafft-Ebing?

A Viennese psychiatrist known for linking syphilis to general paresis.

What major medical discovery is Richard von Krafft-Ebing known for?

Establishing the relationship between the syphilis bacteria and general paresis.

What is general paresis, and who originally coined the term?

A severe neuropsychiatric disorder linked to syphilis; the term was coined by French physician A.L.J. Bayle.

Why was Krafft-Ebing’s discovery important in psychiatry?

It showed that mental disorders could have biological causes.

Who was Julius von Wagner-Jauregg?

An Austrian physician who discovered a treatment for syphilis-related mental illness using malaria therapy.

What innovative treatment did Wagner-Jauregg develop for syphilis?

He used the blood of a patient with malaria to induce fever and cure syphilis-related general paresis.

What major award did Julius von Wagner-Jauregg receive for his discovery?

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Why was Wagner-Jauregg's discovery significant in medical history?

It provided the first effective biological treatment for a mental disorder, supporting the medical model of mental illness.

Who was John Grey?

An American psychiatrist who believed mental illness had physical causes.

What did John Grey believe about the causes of mental illness?

That mental illness was always due to physical causes.

How did John Grey contribute to the humane treatment of the mentally ill?

He advocated for improved hospital conditions such as better diet, temperature, and ventilation.

What was the impact of John Grey's approach to mental illness?

His views led to more humane and medical-based treatment in mental hospitals.

Who discovered insulin shock therapy?

Manfred Sakel.

What was the method behind insulin shock therapy?

Increasing doses of insulin were used to induce convulsions in patients.

Why was insulin shock therapy discontinued?

Although some patients improved, it was risky and often led to coma or death.

What did Joseph von Meduna observe that led to ECT development?

That individuals with epilepsy rarely had schizophrenia.

What is the purpose of electroconvulsive therapy?

To induce brain seizures through electric shocks, treating severe mental illness.

Who developed the modern version of ECT?

Ugo Cerletti and Lucio Bini.

What early drug was derived from the plant Rauwolfia serpentina?

Reserpine

What are neuroleptics used for?

To reduce delusions and control aggression in patients.

What drug class is used to reduce anxiety?

Benzodiazepines

What drug provides relief from manic depression (bipolar disorder)?

Lithium

Who was Franz Anton Mesmer?

A Viennese physician who developed the concept of animal magnetism.

What was Mesmer's theory of animal magnetism?

A universal magnetic fluid in the body was influenced by planets and could become blocked, causing illness.

What was Mesmer’s treatment method called?

Mesmerism, a precursor to modern hypnotism.

What was the purpose of mesmerism?

To unblock animal magnetism and restore health.

Who was Jean-Martin Charcot?

A French neurologist known for his work on hysteria and hypnosis.

What method of treatment was Jean-Martin Charcot interested in?

Mesmerism and hypnosis.

What did Charcot believe caused hysteria?

A weak neurological system triggered by a traumatic event, which then became progressive and irreversible.

Front: How did Charcot influence modern psychological treatment?

He helped establish hypnosis as an effective treatment method.

Who was Josef Breuer?

An Austrian physician and physiologist who worked with Sigmund Freud on early psychological theories.

What therapeutic method did Breuer and Freud experiment with?

Hypnotism

What is catharsis, as discovered by Breuer?

Emotional relief experienced after expressing deeply felt emotions during therapy.