Explaining Depression

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.

Mr Mihill's article

...The body was conceptualized as a machine in which all the parts functioned together to ensure health; if some parts broke down, clinicians intervened to limit and treat damage.

The statement above is a good way of describing the biomedical approach; its focus lays on curing the disease not the whole person. The approach generally involves looking for single, very specific causes for illnesses, with corresponding specific treatments, like antibiotics for infections that are expected to be effective for that illness in most people, under most conditions.