The Wisdom of the Ancients

4 Things Ancient Greeks and Romans Got Right About Mental Health

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 280 million people worldwide have depression, and one billion people have a mental health problem of any kind. Mental health problems are not new, and people in ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans, also struggled with them.

1. Our Mental State is Important

In ancient Greece, the poet Homer, who lived around the 8th century BC, died after wasting away from depression. Ancient Greek doctors recognized that our mental state had a significant impact on our overall health. In the Epidemics, a medical text written around 400 BC, an anonymous doctor wrote that our habits about thinking, lifestyle, clothing, housing, physical activity, and sex were the main determinants of our health.

2. Mental Health Problems Can Make Us Ill

The same doctor who wrote the Epidemics described one of his patients, Parmeniscus, whose mental state became so bad he grew delirious and eventually could not speak. He stayed in bed for 14 days before he was cured, but the method of treatment is not mentioned. Later, the famous doctor Galen of Pergamum (129-216 AD) observed that people often became sick because of a bad mental state. He believed that people who got angry easily and became confused, distressed, and frightened for no reason often fell ill and had a hard time recovering.

3. Mental Illness Can Be Prevented and Treated

The ancient Greeks and Romans had many different ways to prevent or treat mental illness. The philosopher Aristippus, who lived in the 5th century BC, advised people to focus on the present to avoid mental disturbance. He believed that people should concentrate on the day and the actions they took in that day, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

The philosopher Clinias, who lived in the 4th century BC, said that whenever he realized he was becoming angry, he would go and play music on his lyre to calm himself down. Doctors also recommended that patients change their lifestyles to adjust their mental states. They advised people to take up a new exercise routine, adopt a different diet, go on a trip by sea, listen to philosophical lectures, play games like chess or checkers, and do mental exercises equivalent to crosswords or Sudoku.

For instance, the physician Caelius Aurelianus (5th century AD) believed that patients suffering from insanity could benefit from a varied diet including fruit and mild wine. Doctors also advised people to take plant-based medications. For example, the herb hellebore was given to people suffering from paranoia. However, ancient doctors recognized that hellebore could be dangerous and sometimes induced toxic spasms, killing patients.

4. Addressing Mental Health Needs Effort

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that keeping our mental state healthy required effort. If we were anxious or angry or despondent, then we needed to do something that brought us the opposite of those emotions. Caelius Aurelianus believed that people suffering from depression should do activities that caused them to laugh and be happy, such as going to see a comedy at the theatre.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the ancient Greeks and Romans recognized the importance of mental health and developed ways to prevent and treat mental illness. Their approaches may seem primitive to us today, but many of their ideas are still relevant. Mental health problems are not new, and we can learn from the experiences of those who came before us.

FAQs:

Q: Did the ancient Greeks and Romans understand mental health?
A: Yes, the ancient Greeks and Romans recognized the importance of mental health and developed ways to prevent and treat mental illness.

Q: What did the ancient Greeks and Romans believe caused mental illness?
A: The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that mental illness was caused by a variety of factors, including bad habits, a poor diet, and a lack of exercise.

Q: What treatments did the ancient Greeks and Romans use for mental illness?
A: The ancient Greeks and Romans used a variety of treatments for mental illness, including lifestyle changes, herbal medications, and music therapy.

Q: Can we learn from the ancient Greeks and Romans when it comes to mental health?
A: Yes, we can learn from the ancient Greeks and Romans when it comes to mental health. Their approaches may seem primitive to us today, but many of their ideas are still relevant.