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Those with psychological disorders were blamed for their illness because they were engaging in forbiden practices such as worshiping the devil. Most physicians believes those with a mental illness should be treated as a normal sick person would have been treated.
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The Salem witch trials occured in 1692. Many believe that the mentally ill were "witches" and were hanged because of their abnormal behavior.
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In 1766 Franz Anton Mesmer recieved his doctorate in medicine. He believed that hysterical states such as anesthesia, paralyses, blindness, and deafness were caused by an imbalance of some universal magnetic fluid in the body. He used magnetic objects to treat his patients, which did help people overcome their hysteria. Mesmer believed the illnesses were physical but he is known as an early practitioner of hypnotism.
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A huge breakthrough occured when Philippe Pinel released the first mental patients from confinement. This was the first big movement towards humane treatment for the mentally ill.
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Hammurabi, king of Babylon issued the first-known body of laws created by a ruler, the Code of Hammurabi.
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In 1890 James Cattell coined the term "mental tests", which is now known as a psychological assessment.
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in 1890 the State Care Act was passed by New York State. This act ordered the mentally ill patients out of the poor-houses and into state hospitals for their psychological treatment. This act developed the first institution in the United States for psychitric research.
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Morton Prince founded the Journal of Abnormal Psychology in 1906.
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Homer believed that mental illness was a result of God's taking a mind away. Hippocrates wrote many papers in which he described psychological disorders including psychosis, mania, phobias, and paranoia. Hippocrates theorized that "four humours" or bodily fluids ( black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood) were responsible for physical and mental health.
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During the Prehistoric time period skulls were found with holes drilled in them. Researchers believe drilling a hole in the skull allowed the "evil spirits" that were causing abnormal behavior to escape.
