Ancient Times
People of ancient times believed that any sickness indicated displeasure of the gods and in fact was punishment for sins and wrongdoing.
Those with mental disorders were viewed as being either divine or demonic depending on their behavior.
Individuals seen as divine were worshipped and adored; those seen as demonic were ostracized, punished, and sometimes burned at the stake. Later Aristotle (382–322 BC) attempted to relate mental disorders to physical disorders and developed his theory that the amounts of blood, water, and yellow and black bile in the body controlled the emotions. These four substances, or humors, corresponded with happiness, calmness, anger, and sadness. Imbalances of the four humors were believed to cause mental disorders, so treatment aimed at restoring balance through bloodletting, starving, and purging. Such “treatments” persisted well into the 19th century (Baly, 1982). In early Christian times (1–1000 AD), primitive beliefs and superstitions were strong. All diseases were again blamed on demons, and the mentally ill were viewed as possessed.
Priests performed exorcisms to rid evil spirits. When that failed, they used more severe measures such as incarceration in dungeons, flogging, starving, and other brutal treatments.
During the Renaissance (1300–1600), people with mental illness were distinguished from criminals in England. Those considered harmless were allowed to wander the countryside or live in rural communities,
but the more “dangerous lunatics” were thrown in prison, chained, and starved (Rosenblatt, 1984). In
1547, the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem was officially declared a hospital for the insane, the first of its kind. By 1775, visitors at the institution were charged a fee for the privilege of viewing and ridiculing the inmates, who were seen as animals, less than human (McMillan, 1997). During this same period in the colonies (later the United States), the mentally ill were considered evil or possessed and were punished.
Witch hunts were conducted, and offenders were burned at the stake.
