MODULE 1-

INTRODUCTION
-Adamina Gupta 9084
Jahnvi Kumar 9077
Janhavi Sinha 9059
Khyati Dutt 9039
Huda Sajid 9020
Chitrangda Malik 9049
Saniya Bhasin 9026
Noorien Batra 9021
Historical review
Mental disorder was thought to result from either an imbalance, or more
usually an abnormality, in one of the four humors. Typically, phrenitis (or
frenzy) was held to result from overheated yellow bile, melancholy from
abnormal black bile, and epilepsy from the blockage of the passages of the
brain with abnormal bile or phlegm. Different symptoms might arise from
different kinds of humoral abnormality or from the abnormality manifesting
itself in different parts of the body.
2. Psychology in the Middle Ages:
The Middle Ages has had a poor reputation among twentieth-century
psychologists. Edwin Boring, in A History of Experimental Psychology
(1929), held that late medieval thinking was based largely on theology and
hence tended to be opposed to science. Gregory Zilboorg, in his History of
Medical Psychology (1941), claimed that medieval medical practitioners were
afraid to look into either normal or abnormal psychology and that the mentally
ill were frequently regarded either as possessed by a devil or as witches.
Medieval writers discussed a variety of psychological topics. For example, the
theologian Aquinas gave a detailed theory of the emotions. Most ancient
theorists had held to theories of vision in which some quality was emitted by
the eyes. Islamic scholars such as Avicenna and Alhazen pointed out the
weaknesses of such theories and produced coherent accounts of visual
perception in which the eyes were recipients of information.
The demonological and medical theories were not mutually
exclusive. Religious writers describing cases they ascribed to
possession sometimes reveal a fair knowledge of medieval medical
theory. Moreover, it was often held that demons took advantage of
an existing constitutional weakness, such as a tendency toward
melancholy, in selecting their victims. Finally, possession too was
believed to feature the disruption of the mind’s normal control over
behavior and its usurpation by a demon.
Treatments for mental disorder were quite diverse. Some were theoretically
based: bloodletting, baths, head surgery, or a diet change to rid oneself of
noxious humors: sexual diversion to aid the lovesick: exorcism and Holy
Communion to aid the possessed. Others were not: music, pleasant scenes,
prayer, and religious relics were thought to be beneficial regardless of the
diagnosis (which was often tentatively held in any case). Records of the
illnesses of the painter Hugo van der Goes and the French King Charles VI
portray well-meaning onlookers suggesting a variety of diagnoses and
remedies, none of them very successful. An instance of the solicitude shown
Charles during his periods of illness was his court’s procurement of a
mistress, Odette de Champ-divers, when the king refused to recognize his
wife.
Some medieval treatments must have been painful, and head surgery was
probably dangerous. Moreover, the long-term mentally ill, especially those
without substantial means, seem to have been low on priority lists for
institutional care. However, neither painful treat­ment nor frequent neglect
seems to have been motivated by a desire to punish either the patient or any
demon thought to possess him or her. The idea that people possessed by a
demon could be cured by torturing them or burning them at the stake would
have seemed to a medieval clergyman quite as bizarre as it does to us.
 Biomedical model

It states that all illness can be explained on the basis of aberrant somatic
bodily processes, such as biochemical imbalances or neurophysiological
abnormalities. This model assumes that psychological and social
processes are largely irrelevant to the disease process.

Reasons why the biomedical mode isn’t that effective to study illness:
-Reduces illness to low-level processes such as disordered cells and chemical
imbalances.
-Fails to recognize social and psychological processes as powerful influences
over bodily estates.
-Emphasizes illness over health rather than focusing on behaviors that
promote health.
 Psychosomatic Medicine

According to Freud, specific unconscious conflicts can produce physical

disturbances that symbolize repressed psychological conflicts.

Flanders Dunbar in the 1930s and Franz Alexander in the 1940s came up with
the idea that specific illnesses are produced by people’s internal conflicts
but unlike Freud, these researchers linked patterns of personality, rather than
a specific conflict, to specific illnesses.

They talked about how particular disorders are believed to be psychosomatic

in origin, that is, they caused by emotional conflicts. These disorders
include ulcers, hyperthyroidism, hypertension and asthma.
 Biopsychosocial model

The fundamental assumption of the biopsychosocial model is that health and

illness are consequences of the interplay of biological, psychological, and
social factors.

This model is an integration of the biomedical perspective and the

psychosocial perspective.

The basic idea of this model is that mind and body together determine health
and illness.

The focus for treatment is on the holistic treatment of the patient.

 Concept of Psychological Health
• Psychological health is the sum of how we think, feel, relate, and exist in our day-to-
day lives. Our thoughts, perceptions, emotions, motivations, interpersonal
relationships, and behaviors are a product of our experiences and the skills we have
developed to meet life’s challenges. Psychological health includes mental, emotional,
social, and spiritual dimensions.
• Psychological health is a complex interaction of the mental, emotional, social, and
spiritual dimensions of health. Possessing strength and resilience in these dimensions
can maintain your overall well-being and help you weather the storms of life.
• Most experts identify several basic elements psychologically healthy people
regularly display- They feel good about themselves. They are not typically
overwhelmed by fear, love, anger, jealousy, guilt, or worry. They know who they are,
have a realistic sense of their capabilities, and respect themselves even though they
realize they aren’t perfect.
CONCEPT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN INDIA

• When somebody tries to understand what Indian traditions can offer to

psychiatry or what is different in relation to Indian patients, one needs to
understand the traditional Indian systems and predominant religion in the
country.
• These play an important role in shaping the patient's reporting of the
symptoms, reaction to stress and symptoms, help-seeking behavior, coping
with distress, acceptance of suggested treatment, family's reaction and
reaction of community in general.
• The major scriptures of Hinduism are the Vedas, the Upanishad, and the
Bhagwad Gita. Among these, Vedas are considered the oldest and the
earliest concepts of Hinduism, and are, thus, recorded in the four Vedas
viz., Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda.
• When one tries to understand the concept of mind and mental illness from
ancient Hindu knowledge - Rig Veda and Yajur Veda, suggest that mention
of prayer through mantras (rhymes) can lead to formation of noble
thoughts in the mind which help in the prevention of mental pain
(depression).

• The Rig Veda, also discusses about the speed of mind, curiosity for
methods of mental happiness, prayers for mental happiness, methods of
increasing intelligence and power of mind in healing. Yajur Veda and
Atharva Veda conceptualize mind as the basis of consciousness, inner
flame of knowledge, cite of knowledge, and an instrument of hypnotism.
Different Vedas also provide detailed descriptions of preservation of will
power, emotions, inspiration, consciousness and emotional states like grief,
envy, pleasure, hostility, attachment, laziness, etc., There is also a
description of Unmada (psychosis) as a deluded state of mind.
• The Upanishads provide descriptions of theories of perception, thought,
consciousness, and memory.
• There is a description of prakriti, which can be considered as an equivalent
of personality in modern psychiatry.
• The Upnishads describe the different states of mind: waking state, dreaming
state, deep sleep state, and Samadhi.
• The psychopathology of the mind was understood in terms of their trigunas and
tridoshas.

• Trigunas and Tridoshas: The three gunas- Sattva (stability), Rajas (passion, desire
and self interest), and Tamas (inertia, material quality and illusions), promote different
kinds of temperament based on the dominance of one or the other gunas.

• The trigunas constitute the psychological components and govern all animate and
inanimate existence. They also influence forces of living which are conceptualized as-
Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

• The behaviour of human physiology, psychophysiology and pathophysiology reflect

the Vata-Pitta-Kapha (Tridosha) dynamics, and this understanding helps in devising
various assessments, treatments and management strategies.
Traditional Methods of Controlling the
Mind: Yoga and Meditation
• Yoga is a discipline, which has evolved in India several thousand years ago with the
basic aim of growth, development and evolution of mind.
• The ultimate goal of yoga is to control one's own body, to handle the bodily senses,
and to tame seemingly endless internal demand.
• There are various systems of Yoga, however, all aim to achieve the same, i.e.,
bringing about altered states of consciousness, which is known as the cosmic
consciousness, transcendental illumination, or samadhi. It is said that correct practice
of yogic techniques gives rise to certain types of reactions within the person, which
facilitate qualitative and quantitative changes in awareness.
• It is considered that regular practice of yogic exercise reduces psychological tension,
as well as reduces the decline in physical health.
 Nature of health and illness
● The WHO defines health as a state of “complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity.” The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, along with a range

of WHO partners, endorses this definition. Being healthy, in their view, excludes having any disease.

● Illness is a state of poor health or sickness, as in I’ve had to miss a lot of work due to illness.The word
illness is also commonly used to refer to a disease or instance of sickness.

● In the past health has been thought of as just the absence of disease, however today it is thought of more
as the state of physical and mental wellbeing. Factors can work together to affect physical and mental

health.
 The health belief model
● The Health Belief Model is a theoretical model that can be used to guide health promotion
and disease prevention programs. It is used to explain and predict individual changes in health
behaviours. It is one of the most widely used models for understanding health behaviours.

● Key elements of the Health Belief Model focus on individual beliefs about health conditions,
which predict individual health-related behaviours. The model defines the key factors that
influence health behaviours as an individual's perceived threat to sickness or disease
(perceived susceptibility), belief of consequence (perceived severity), potential positive
benefits of action (perceived benefits), perceived barriers to action, exposure to factors that
prompt action (cues to action), and confidence in ability to succeed (self-efficacy).
 Agent-Host-Environment Model
● The triad consists of an external agent, a susceptible host, and an environment
that brings the host and agent together. In this model, disease results from the
interaction between the agent and the susceptible host in an environment that
supports transmission of the agent from a source to that host.

● Agent, host, and environmental factors interrelate in a variety of complex ways to

produce disease. Different diseases require different balances and interactions of
these three components. Development of appropriate, practical, and effective public
health measures to control or prevent disease usually requires assessment of all
three components and their interactions.
Components of Agent Host Environment
Model
● Agent originally referred to an infectious microorganism or pathogen: a virus,
bacterium, parasite, or other microbe. Generally, the agent must be present for
disease to occur; however, presence of that agent alone is not always sufficient to
cause disease.
● Host refers to the human who can get the disease. A variety of factors intrinsic to
the host, sometimes called risk factors, can influence an individual’s exposure,
susceptibility, or response to a causative agent.
● Environment refers to extrinsic factors that affect the agent and the opportunity for
exposure. Environmental factors include physical factors such as geology and
climate, biologic factors such as insects that transmit the agent, and socioeconomic
factors such as crowding, sanitation, and the availability of health services.
 Methodological Developments
■ Health psychology is an empirical science, and hence research in
this field is based in the scientific method.
■ The general goals of scientific research are to describe a
phenomenon, make predictions about it, and explain why it
happens.
■ Observational or naturalistic methods are used to describe and
measure people’s and/or animals’ behaviour in everyday situations.
■ Another type of observational approach is archival research in
which researchers use already-recorded behaviour, such as divorce
rates, disease rates, and death rates.
■ Some researchers use the case report or case study to form hypotheses
and theories. This research technique relies on studying one or more
individuals in great depth to determine the causes of the person’s
behaviour and to predict behaviour in others who are similar.
■ Survey methods rely on asking people questions about their thoughts,
feelings, desires, and actions and recording their answers. These questions
may be asked directly by the experimenter in a face-to-face or a phone
interview, or participants may complete written surveys.
■ The experimental method involves manipulating one variable to
determine if changes in one variable cause changes in another variable. 
Scope of health psychology
■ The field of health psychology is focused on promoting health as well as the
prevention and treatment of disease and illness.
■ Health psychologists also focus on understanding how people react to, cope with,
and recover from illness.
■ Some health psychologists work to improve the health care system and the
government's approach to health care policy.
■ Health and illness are influenced by a wide variety of factors. While contagious
and hereditary illness are common, many behavioral and psychological factors can
impact overall physical well-being and various medical conditions
Health psychologists work with individuals, groups, and communities to decrease risk
factors, improve overall health, and reduce illness. They conduct research and provide
services in areas including:
■Stress reduction
■Weight management
■Smoking cessation
■Improving daily nutrition
■Reducing risky sexual behaviors
■Hospice care and grief counseling
■Preventing illness
■Understanding the effects of illness
■Improving recovery
■Teaching coping skills
Students who are trained in health psychology on the undergraduate level go
different disciples later on as well like medicine, becoming physicians and
nurses. Because of their experience in health psychology, some of these
health care practitioners conduct research as well. Other health psychology
students go into the allied health professional fields, such as social work,
occupational therapy, dietetics, physical therapy, or public health. Social
workers in medical settings, for example, may be responsible for assessing
where patients go after discharge.
Students who receive either a Ph.D. in health psychology or a Psy.D.
most commonly go into academic research as faculty members or into
private practice, where they provide individual and group counseling.
Other PhD.s in health psychology practice in hospitals and other health
care settings. Many are involved in the management of health care,
including business and government positions. Others work in medical
schools, hospitals and other treatment settings, and industrial or
occupational health settings to promote healthy behavior, prevent
accidents, and help control health care costs.