logo

Living the ‘Melancholy’

by Gyanvitaranam

   “Melancholy is the happiness of being sad.” ― Victor Hugo. “Melancholia”, is an ancient Greek term derived from “melas” which means “black”, and “Khloé” that means “bile” and the term was used to depict the psychological condition which we presently recognize as ‘depression’.

   Hippocrates, the Greek philosopher and the father of the modern medicine, opposed, the popular prevalent custom of attributing mental illness to super-natural or magical sources and strongly suggested that, mental illnesses had biological origins. As per him ‘melancholia’ or mental illness is caused by brain dysfunction. He agreed with the contemporary humoral theory which stated that humans in order to have normal or even temperament they should have an equilibrium of the four ‘humors’ i.e., Blood, Black-bile, Yellow-bile and Phlegm. It was believed that....

Want to keep reading? Subscribe now

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

Subscribe Now

Back Issues