What makes one insane

The traditional test of insanity in criminal cases is whether the accused knew "the difference between right and wrong," following the "M'Naughten rule" from 19th century England. If found to be insane, the defendant will be ordered to a mental facility, and the trial will be held only if sanity returns. They are usually sentenced to special facilities for sex offenders, supposedly with counseling available. However, there are often maximum terms related to the type of crime, so that parole and release may occur with no proof of cure of the compulsive desire to commit sex crimes.

Enter a Legal Term. The kinds of people and behaviors fitting these labels have varied throughout the ages, and methods of treatment have changed as well. In Greek and Roman civilizations, behaviors we might call "insanity" today were actually perceived as signs of a special connection to the divine.

If someone had a hallucination and heard a voice telling them to murder someone, it didn't mean they were ill. This meant they were touched by the gods.

However, they did experiment with medical treatments for various delusions and other inappropriate public behavior. At the other end of the spectrum, there have been cultures in which simply holding a controversial opinion was enough to make people call you "insane.

You will be relieved to know that, in most parts of the world, simply disagreeing with a government or an authority figure will no longer earn you the title of "insane.

In fact, the definition of "insanity" varies a great deal depending on who you ask. There are several definitions, including a popular and oft-quoted one that is frequently misattributed to Albert Einstein or Mark Twain: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

While this definition accurately describes dysfunctional behaviors that might accompany Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or some forms of frontal lobe brain injury , it's not in itself a catch-all definition for "insanity.

It's helpful, for example, if you are practicing a new skill or sending out job applications. So, this definition, although it's catchy and smart, won't help you to determine a person's true mental state.

Let's turn to Merriam Webster. Here we find three different possible definitions of insanity:. Because the third definition seems to be more conversational and less a way to define a mental state, we'll focus on the first two, which leaves us with both a medical and a legal definition of insanity.

Insanity is a legal term, not a psychological one. The legal definition supports our understanding of insanity as a defense in a U. To meet the legal definition of insanity, a defendant must prove that they were unable to tell the difference between right and wrong at the time a crime was committed due to the severity of their psychosis.

In one form or another, the insanity defense has existed since at least Over the years, governing bodies have constantly had to revise the ways insanity could be used as a defense for heinous crimes. In the U. Even today, most people are skeptical of this defense, and it is rarely used in courtrooms. When it is, most states hold to the original definition — that the defendant was unable to tell the difference between right and wrong.

You also can have more than one mental health disorder at the same time. For example, you may have depression and a substance use disorder. Mental illness is a leading cause of disability. Untreated mental illness can cause severe emotional, behavioral and physical health problems. Complications sometimes linked to mental illness include:. There's no sure way to prevent mental illness. However, if you have a mental illness, taking steps to control stress, to increase your resilience and to boost low self-esteem may help keep your symptoms under control.

Follow these steps:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Arlington, Va. Accessed April 8, Dual diagnosis. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Practice Guidelines for the Psychiatric Evaluation of Adults. Accessed April 1, Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. American Psychological Association. Asher GN, et al. Complementary therapies for mental health disorders.