Did you know these about mental health? Here are some historical, ‘strange’ and interesting facts:
Where does the word Psychiatry come from?
Psychiatry comes from two ancient Greek words – pysche meaning soul and iatros meaning physician
Similarly Psychology comes from two words – psych, and ology meaning study
Where does the name Shrink come from?
Shrink was originally used for psychiatrist some these days also applies to psychologists, psychotherapists, and others in that field. It comes from the word ‘head shrinker’. Head shrinking was a tribal practice for shrinking the heads of enemies!
Where does the name Patient come from?
The word patient originally meant ‘one who suffers’. This English noun comes from the Latin word patiens, from the verb, patior, meaning ‘I am suffering’ (source: Wikipedia).
Hmm, is it about time, we had a new word for patient?
Does Schizophrenia mean split personality?
Schizophrenia comes from the “Greek word skhizein, meaning “to split”, and phrēn, meaning “mind”. Schizophrenia however does not imply a “split personality” or “multiple personality disorder” — a condition with which it is often confused in public perception. Rather, the term means a “splitting of mental functions”, reflecting the presentation of the illness” .(Source: Wikipedia)
Where was the world’s first mental institution?
London’s Bethlem Royal Hospital was one of the world’s first mental institutions. It was also called Bedlam. (Bedlam means confusion!! ). Ex patients, who stayed usually no longer than 12 months were called ‘Bedlamites’.
Mental Illness in the 18th and 19th century
“Before the Madhouse Act of 1774, treatment of the Insane was carried out by non-licensed practitioners, who ran their Madhouses as a commercial enterprise and with little regard for the inmates.“ (Source: Timechamber.co.uk)
Psychiatry became a recognized medical specialism in the 1800s
Mad, Lunatic, Insane were acceptable terms in the field of medicine in the 1900s
Mental illness first appeared in the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte in 1847
For much of history, treatment of mental illness was based on exorcism and sorcery.
Is there mention of mental illness in the Bible?
In the Bible, there was a man that was lived in a cave. He tore his clothes and broke the chains. He ran to Jesus when he saw Him. Though he sounds violent, Jesus did not however run away from him but healed him.