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Mental illnesses were well known in ancient Mesopotamia, [6] where diseases and mental disorders were believed to be caused by specific deities. [7] Because hands symbolized control over a person, mental illnesses were known as "hands" of certain deities. [7] One psychological illness was known as Qāt Ištar, meaning "Hand of Ishtar". [7]
Kendra Cherry, MSEd, states: "The medical approach to abnormal psychology focuses on the biological causes of mental illness. This perspective emphasizes understanding the underlying cause of disorders, which might include genetic inheritance, related physical disorders, infections, and chemical imbalances.
Risk factors for mental illness include psychological trauma, adverse childhood experiences, genetic predisposition, and personality traits. [7] [8] Correlations between mental disorders and substance use are also found to have a two way relationship, in that substance use can lead to the development of mental disorders and having mental disorders can lead to substance use/abuse.
Apulian pottery depicting Lycrugus of Thrace, an ancient Greek king driven mad by Dionysus [1]. Mental illness in ancient Rome was recognized in law as an issue of mental competence, and was diagnosed and treated in terms of ancient medical knowledge and philosophy, primarily Greek in origin, while at the same time popularly thought to have been caused by divine punishment, demonic spirits, or ...
A diagnosis of mental 'illness' implies that a person is in no way responsible for the abnormality of functioning and as such is not to blame. The concept of 'no blame' is generally thought to be more humane and likely to elicit a much more sympathetic response from others.
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, [6] a mental health condition, [7] or a psychiatric disability, [2] is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. [8]
Other examples of naturalistic disease theory include biomedicine and vitalism. Illnesses not considered to be caused by naturalistic disease theories fall under the category of personalistic disease theory. This theory views illness as a result of a personal direct agent such as a supernatural force, witchcraft, or the evil eye.
For Zeller, both organic and moral (or psychological) causes combined to produce mental illness. [13] The organic causes of mental illness were, he argued, observable in the physical illnesses that preceded its onset. He reasoned, however, that "cases are rare in which the mental disorder is caused by purely organic problems of the central ...