What is mental illness (basic definition)?

Behavior or cognition that deviates from cultural norms and causes distress or dysfunction.

What are the four themes that define mental illness?

1. Harmful behavior Behavior that endangers self or others. 2. Unrealistic thoughts/perceptions Delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (false perceptions). 3. Inappropriate emotions Emotional responses that are exaggerated or socially mismatched. 4. Unpredictable behavior Erratic, unstable, or inconsistent behavior over time

What are the three early explanations of mental illness?

1. Biological Caused by brain dysfunction, genetics, disease, or physiological imbalance. 2. Psychological Caused by emotional conflict, trauma, fear, anxiety, or stress. 3. Supernatural Caused by spirits, demons, witchcraft, or divine punishment.

What are the four early approaches to treating mental illness?

1. Psychological approach Talk, catharsis, reassurance, behavior change, coping strategies. 2. Biological approach Diet, baths, herbs, medical treatments, restoring bodily balance. 3. Supernatural approach Exorcisms, rituals, trepanation, magical healing practices. 4. Moral/natural law approach Treating “sinful” or maladaptive behavior through discipline and correction

What changed in thinking about mental illness in the 16th century?

Shift from supernatural explanations to natural and psychological causes.

What did Paracelsus contribute?

Rejected demonology; promoted natural causes and empirical treatment.

What did Johann Weyer argue?

“Witches” were mentally ill, not possessed.

What did Reginald Scot argue?

Witchcraft beliefs were false; supposed possession was mental illness.

What did Cornelius Agrippa contribute?

Criticized witch hunts and defended accused individuals.

What was the most common treatment for mental illness in early history?

Bloodletting.

Other early treatments included?

Cold water shocks, spinning chairs, physical restraint, and purging.

PHILIPPE PINEL

What did Pinel do?

Removed chains, introduced humane treatment, occupational therapy, and moral care in asylums.

BENJAMIN RUSH

What did Benjamin Rush contribute?

Promoted humane treatment but still used bloodletting and physical interventions.

DORTHEA DIX

What did Dorothea Dix do?

Reformed mental hospitals and improved conditions for the mentally ill

EMIL KRAEPELIN

What did Kraepelin contribute?

Developed modern psychiatric classification system and studied mental disorders scientifically.

LIGHTNER WITMER

What did Witmer contribute?

Founded clinical psychology and the first psychological clinic.

How did treatment of mental illness evolve historically?

It moved from supernatural punishment → crude physical treatments → humane reform → scientific classification and clinical psychology.

What is the medical model of mental illness?

Mental illness is caused by biological dysfunction (brain, genetics, physiology) and should be treated medically.

What is the psychological model of mental illness?

Mental illness results from emotional, cognitive, or environmental problems (stress, conflict, maladaptive learniing)

Key difference between medical and psychological models?

Medical = biological disease; Psychological = problems in living and behavior patterns

What is the main tension between the two models?

Whether mental illness is primarily biological (medical) or psychological/social in origin.

THOMAS SZASZ

What did Thomas Szasz argue about mental illness?

Mental illness is not a literal disease but a “problem in living.”

What was Szasz’s critique of psychiatry?

Psychiatric diagnoses are social and moral judgments, not objective medical facts.

What is the danger of labeling in Szasz’s view?

It reduces personal responsibility and can create self-fulfilling prophecies.

MESMER

What is animal magnetism?

Mesmer’s idea that a magnetic fluid in the body causes illness and can be manipulated for healing.

What is the contagion effect?

Emotional reactions spreading through a group during Mesmer’s treatment sessions.

PUYSEGUR

What is artificial somnambulism?

A calm, sleep-like hypnotic trance state where patients remain responsive to suggestion.

What key hypnotic phenomena did Puységur observe?

Posthypnotic suggestion and posthypnotic amnesia.

What is posthypnotic suggestion?

A suggestion given during hypnosis that influences behavior after awakening.

What is posthypnotic amnesia?

Inability to remember what occurred during hypnosis.

JAMES BRAID

What did James Braid contribute to hypnosis?

Rejected magnetism and explained hypnosis as focused attention and suggestibility; coined “hypnosis.”

NANCY SCHOOL

What did the Nancy school argue about hypnosis?

Hypnosis is normal suggestibility, not a pathological condition.

What determines hypnotic effectiveness (Nancy school)?

Degree of suggestibility and belief in the process.

CHARCOT

What was Charcot’s view of hypnosis?

A neurological phenomenon linked to hysteria and mental illness.

What did Charcot believe about who could be hypnotized?

Initially only hysterical patients, later revised to agree with Nancy school.

How did hypnosis evolve historically?

From Mesmer’s mystical “magnetism” → Puységur’s trance states → Braid’s scientific suggestibility model → Nancy school’s normal psychology → Charcot’s neurological interpretation.