Essay About Frontal Lobotomies And Frontal Lobe Damage

History Of Abnormal Psychology
Essay Preview: History Of Abnormal Psychology
Report this essay
History of Abnormal Psychology
Conceptualizations of abnormal psychology have changed over time according to the zeitgeist
Etiology – study of causes
Historically, intertwined with and
The Early Years
Stone Age
Early human skulls
Early Egyptian writings
Demonological or supernatural model
abnormal behavior may result from or in the universe
Spiritual possession of some kind controlled the body and the mind
Treatment
Trephining-releasing the demon
Exorcism-purging the evil spirit through magic, prayer, starvation
Frontal lobotomies/frontal lobe damage-led to dramatic personality change
Trephining
Golden Age of Greece
Ancient Greece and origins of the medical model: more biological/scientific view
Hysteria
found in young women, a result of the uterus dislodging
E.g., uterus landed at the heart  anxiety
Greek uterus =
Somatic symptoms, extreme emotionality, anxiety
Treatment?
Marriage, of course
If no other choice, bring the uterus home
Use of sweet-smelling flowers
Hippocrates
Father of modern medicine
First to describe psychopathology as a “disease,” biological explanations
Theory of humors (around 400 BC)
imbalance of bodily humors creates abnormal beh; temperament depends on which one predominates
Four:
Phlegm
Black Bile
Blood
Yellow Bile
“Temperament” still used
First personality-psychopathology connection
Middle Ages
Medieval return to the demonological/supernatural model (late 400s – 1800s)
fall of Rome/rise of Christianity
rejection of more scientific ways of thinking; with rise of Christianity, religion strongly influenced thinking
In many parts of Europe, clergy were responsible for dealing with mentally ill
Middle Ages cont. (1400s to 1600s)
Witchcraft
Malleus Maleficarum – “The Witches Hammer”
Witch-hunting manual written by two Dominican Monks
Many mentally ill were identified as witches and inhumanely punished
Mostly women
This is controversial
Animalism
The mentally ill were like animals
Lack of self-control
Capable of violence
Ability to live in miserable conditions
Thus, should be treated like animals
Put into asylums
Brutal conditions
Early Asylums
16th century on
Development of asylums to house mentally ill
Began as a way to remove them from society
Often described