This is a theoretical reflection on the historical perception and conceptualization of madness and, consequently, on ways of acting towards it. We start from ancient Greek conceptions and move up to the present days, focusing mainly on those periods when perceptions and actions towards madness changed. We conclude that getting to know the historical forms of the madness concept is important to be able to denaturalize our conceptions and reflect about our current practice in care for patients going through mental suffering.
mental disorders; psychiatry; care