Mental ill health has not always been identified in our society; it is only in the 20th century that illness like schizophrenia and depression have been recognised. Before this time, anyone presenting behaviour that did not fit in with the social norm was seen to be possessed by an evil spirit. It has been suggested that the accused in the Salem witch trials may have been mentally ill people, a theory which would make sense. The idea that people with psychological problems were possessed was very much a belief held by most of society however, the idea that these abnormalities came from our biology was not revolutionary….(short extract)
