In the Middle Ages, mental illness
A)was believed to be associated with magical powers.
B)was treated with more compassion than in modern times.
C)resulted in the sufferer being confined to converted leper hospitals.
D)resulted in burning at the stake.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the Middle Ages, mental illness was often associated with possession by evil spirits or divine punishment, and those who suffered from mental illness were often feared and stigmatized. In many cases, they were confined to converted leper hospitals, which were the closest thing to mental asylums at the time. Burning at the stake was a punishment typically reserved for accusations of witchcraft, and mental illness was not generally associated with magical powers. While compassion for those with mental illness varied throughout history and across cultures, it is generally agreed that modern treatments and understandings of mental illness are more compassionate and effective than those of the past.

In the Middle Ages, Mental Illness