Читать книгу Abnormal Psychology - William J. Ray - Страница 52

Although the Greek and Roman periods included individuals who attempted to understand psychopathology in a more humane way, this perspective disappeared as their civilizations declined. During the Middle Ages, disease and especially mental illness was seen from a religious perspective, with the devil being a major player. That is, when someone was observed to act in strange and bizarre ways, it was assumed that the person was a witch or possessed by the devil. As such, mental illness did not exist. What existed was the devil working through individuals. This view continued in Europe until the 1800s, especially among the less educated.

During the Middle Ages, mental illness was perceived as the work of the devil, and individuals were accused of witchcraft.

Lanmas/Alamy

One of the classic books in this genre was the Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of the Witches), published in the 1480s. This book was written by two German priests and approved by the pope. It went through a number of editions and became the handbook of the Inquisition. It explained how witches existed and flew through the air as well as how they should be tortured if they did not confess. In a “catch-22,” the captured witches were tied to a device and lowered into cold water. If they floated, they were thought to be possessed by the devil and most likely were then killed by hanging or fire. If they sank to the bottom and drowned, then they were innocent. During the interrogations, witches were not to be left alone or given clothes, since the devil would visit them or hide in their clothing. Although the writers of the time did not understand the nature of psychopathology, they did describe in some detail particular characteristics of different disorders including bipolar disorder, depression, and such psychotic processes as hallucinations and delusions.