THE HISTORY OF

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

A historical perspective on
abnormal behavior
COURSE: PSYCOPATHOLOGY (521)
SEMESTER: I

PRESENT TO: MA’AM DR BUSHRA

KHAN

PRESENT BY : ANAAM BIN TE

MUNEER, ARIBA NASEEM & SANA
SHAMIM.
 PSCHOPATHOLOGY:
 The study of abnormal thoughts, behaviors, & feelings.

 “Psycho” means “mind.”

 “Pathology” means “pathogen” or “organism causing disease.”

 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

 Mental illness was thought to be the result of supernatural forces

(angry GODS, possession by demons).

 Scholars, theologians, and philosopers believed a trouble mind

was the result of displeased GODS or possession.
 I. DEMONOLOGY:

 The doctrine that an evil being or spirit can dewll within a

person and control his or her mind and body is called
demonology.

 Abnormal behavior (hallucinations, delusions) resulted from

demonic possession.

 Treatment: The belief that odd behavior was caused by

possession led to treating it by exorcism (the ritualistic casting
out of evil spirits).

 Exorcism: Prayer, flogging, starvation, etc.

 II. THE DARK AGES AND DEMONOLOGY:

 With decline of Roman & Greek civilizations, Christian church

gained in influence.

 The monks in monasteries cared for people with mental

disorders by praying over them and touching them with relics.

 Many people with mental illness roamed the countryside and

progressively become worse.

 During this period, there was a return to a belief in supernatural

causes of mental disorders (demonology).
 a. THE PRESECUTION OF WITCHES (1300s):

 Witchcraft, now viewed as instigated by satan, was seen as a

heresy and a denial of GOD.

 Those accused of witchcraft should be tortured if they did’nt

confess.

 Those convicted and penitent were to be imprisoned for life.

 Those convicted and unrepentant were to be handed over to the

law for execution.

 Modern investigators believed, most accused were mentally ill.

 The basis for this belief was the confessions of accused that
investigators interpreted as delusional or hallucinations.
 b. LUNACY TRIALS (BEGAN IN 13TH century ENGLAND):
 Municipal authorities assumed responsibility for care of
mentally ill people.

 Lunacy trials held to determine a person’s mental health.

 The trials were conducted under the Crown’s right to protect

the people with mental illness.

 A judgment of insanity allowed the Crown to become guardian

of the lunatic’s estate.

 Interestingly, the term lunacy comes from a theory espoused

by the Swiss physician Paracelsus, who attributed odd
behavior to a misalignment of the moon and stars.

 Even today, many people believe that a full moon is linked to

odd behavior, however, there is no scientific evidence to
support this belief.