Historical evolution of depression and its forms of treatment

The way depression has been understood and approached has evolved significantly over the centuries.

Although it is now considered an emotional, biological, and social disorder, its conceptualization has gone through multiple stages influenced by the cultural, religious, and scientific thinking of each era.

Ancient origins. Between spirituality and punishment

Since ancient times, there have been references to states of deep sadness or persistent listlessness.

In civilizations such as Mesopotamia, there was already talk of ailments similar to what we now understand as depression.

However, in many ancient cultures, these symptoms were attributed to supernatural forces, such as the presence of evil spirits or curses.

Therefore, the methods used to alleviate suffering were religious rituals, purifications, fasting, or even physical punishment, which sought to “free” the individual from the entity that possessed them.

Classical thinking. First physiological explanations

With the development of medicine in ancient Greece and Rome, the first theories emerged that attempted to explain psychological suffering from a naturalistic perspective.

It began to be understood that emotional disorders could have a physical origin, related to imbalances in the body's internal fluids.

For example, it was thought that an excess of a certain type of bodily fluid, such as black bile, caused a state of melancholy.

To treat this imbalance, therapies such as specific diets, exercise, healing baths, or techniques such as purging and bloodletting were used.

Although these methods may seem rudimentary today, they represented an important change: the idea that psychological distress could have a physical cause and not necessarily a spiritual one.

The Middle Ages and the Renaissance: between religion and science

During the Middle Ages, religious explanations regained strength, and many emotional problems were once again considered manifestations of sin or spiritual possession.

This led to people with depressive symptoms being subjected to extreme practices such as penance, confinement, or exorcism.

However, during the Renaissance, interest in medicine and scientific knowledge was revived, allowing for a resurgence of theories more focused on the body and the environment.

The birth of modern psychotherapy

At the end of the 19th century, a new approach to the treatment of mental suffering began with the emergence of psychoanalysis.

Sigmund Freud, a neurologist, proposed that many emotional conditions originated in repressed experiences, mainly from childhood.

His method—based on the exploration of the unconscious and the interpretation of the patient's speech—marked the formal beginning of psychotherapy.

Later, Carl Jung, initially a collaborator of Freud, proposed a more individual-centered view, emphasizing personal growth and internal symbolism.

His approach gave rise to what is now known as humanistic therapy.

A legacy in the making

The understanding of depression continues to evolve. Throughout history, this condition has been viewed from multiple angles: religious, medical, philosophical, and psychological.

Each stage has left contributions that, although imperfect, have contributed to the comprehensive view we currently have of mental health.