We explain what madness is and how this pathology developed throughout history. Madness in society and its symptoms.
What is Madness?
Madness consists of una pathology or disturbance of mental faculties. It is also defined as “deprivation of judgment or the use of reason.”
Until the end of the 19th century, madness was understood to mean all behaviors that deviated from those socially expected that is, they did not comply with the established standards, but all this based on or because of a psychological imbalance, such as epilepsy or any other “illness” that caused the person to exhibit strange behaviors.
See also: Music lover
Madness throughout history
Before being associated with the psyche of man, was directly related to supernatural events going so far as to say that a person was possessed, bewitched or derived. It was also said that madmen reached that state because of their own sins. So for quite a long time demons and divine punishments were linked to mental disorders.
Later, specifically from the Middle Ages, Different diseases began to be added to the list of “insanities” in this century it was lepers, but after the plague, venereal diseases followed.
In the Renaissance period, madness was conceived as a manifestation of evil and madmen They were banished from civilization in the “stultifera navis” or ship of fools.
It is not until Humanism that madness becomes a matter of human reason and an important turn arises, it is about questioning people's usual vision, criticizing the conception of reality. And finally, it is in the 17th century when the insane hospital was created.
Madness in society
- It is a behavior that moves away from socially dictated norms.
- The “crazy” usually suffer from social isolation, because they do not tend to be very well integrated by ordinary civilians, although in certain societies people who suffer from different types of psychic pathologies have been better included.
- Integration is linked to the opportunities provided by the State or non-governmental entities.
Symptoms of madness
The madness It is not a disease in itself but rather it is a way to generically group people who have psychological disorders. Therefore, establishing symptoms of madness is difficult, but certain characteristics can be named, such as:
- Behavior that deviates from what is expected in society, characterized by being erratic.
- Loss of control of emotions, disinhibition.
- Bizarre, absurd and useless acts that are carried out by the person believing that it is natural, “normal.”
Stigma of madness
For centuries the end of psychotics was confinement having them isolated and far from civilization was the most “reasonable” decision at that time, since this way the citizens were not disturbed by them.
In the postwar period, this changed. We began to have a more humane and “democratic” vision on this topic, that is, it was understood that during the past time people acted in a cruel way, which is why there is a new approach towards these people who are not yet conceived as minorities when they are.
Today and in Western cultures integration is sought. However, this still has a great flaw and that is misinformation.
In countries like Spain, campaigns are carried out to explain that a person who suffers from schizophrenia can access jobs like anyone else and lead a common life like everyone else, as long as they are under treatment, something that enhances inclusion.
Family and madness
Families are one fundamental part in any person even more so when it has a certain dependency, such as psychotics.
Any family that is responsible for a person with psychiatric disorders not only requires help from the government or the State like the economic one, but also requires resources such as professional attention in an efficient manner, where the attention time is optimal, with home visits if necessary, among others.
Currently, families, in most countries, feel little supported and when patients do not have family support, they usually fall into what the State provides, which is not usually an acceptable minimum assistance.
Simulation of madness
In society there are phenomena that serve as a defense or a kind of “adaptation”, within them are lies, within these we will consider the simulation, oversimulation and dissimulation of madness.
- Simulation It consists of pretending to be crazy, either to say what you think or justify behavior.
- Overstimulation It is the intention of the alienated to be considered crazy, it is what happens with criminals who seek through this way to free themselves from sentences or social stigmas related to crime.
- Dissimulation It consists of people who try to camouflage their psychological problems, since they suspect that they have psychiatric problems and do not want to be hospitalized, treated or known in this way in society.
