Changing Minds and Mental Health - Professor Gwen Adsead

TL;DR

This lecture explores the historical background of changing minds, from ancient beliefs to modern therapies.

Transcript

welcome everybody to the first of the changing Minds lectures my name is Gwen adet and I'm a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist and I'm honored to be the gesan professor of Psychiatry uh for 2015 and 2016 um I had the privilege of giving some lectures last last year about violence um which is really arising from know half my day job as a for... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤯 The concept of changing minds has evolved over time, from ancient beliefs to modern therapies.
• 💠 Historical accounts of mental illness shaped early psychiatric treatments, focusing on behavioral constraints and humoral regulation.
• 🤳 The understanding of self-identity has evolved to include multiple selves, narrative self, and social construction.
• 💱 Psychology has contributed to changing minds through the development of cognitive therapies and the exploration of personality change.
• 🧠 The relationship between mental distress, subjective experience, and objective brain functions is still under exploration.
• 🌉 There is a need to bridge the gap between psychology and psychiatry in understanding and treating mental illness.
• 🤳 The exploration of the self and the construction of identity continue to be important in therapeutic approaches.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the historical significance of the concept of change and time perception?

The concept of change is closely tied to time perception, as it involves differences that occur over time. This understanding has evolved throughout history and is crucial to the study of changing minds.

Q: How have historical accounts of mental illness influenced modern psychiatry?

Early accounts of mental illness focused on the loss of reason and the need for behavioral constraints. These beliefs persisted for centuries until advancements in neuroanatomy and the understanding of the brain challenged these notions.

Q: How has the concept of self-identity evolved over time?

Early accounts of self-identity explored the idea of multiple selves and the struggle between different aspects of the self-experience. This understanding has evolved to include the idea of a narrative self and the construction of identity through social relationships.

Q: How has psychology contributed to changing minds and therapeutic approaches?

Psychology has played a significant role in understanding mental distress and developing therapeutic approaches. The rise of cognitive therapies, the exploration of personality change, and the emphasis on social relationships have all shaped modern psychological treatments.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The lecture begins with an apology for the superficial treatment of big topics due to time constraints.

• The speaker acknowledges the individuals who have contributed to their thinking on changing minds.

• The content discusses the concepts of change and mind, exploring the relationship between identity and personality.

• The historical accounts of mental illness and treatment are examined, from ancient beliefs to modern psychiatry.