The Future of Psychiatry

Where do mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, or addiction come from? If we had an answer to this question, we would be a good deal closer to finding a cure. Unfortunately, however, we only know fragments of the answer. Since the Enlightenment, we have suspected that demons, anger, or the special attention of a god are not the cause. Exorcisms therefore do not help. Assuming that those affected have a mental weakness – a kind of question of guilt that was still widespread until the middle of the last century – is also of no help.

Fortunately, we live in enlightened times, and mental disorders are now understood for what they are: illnesses. More difficult to diagnose than cardiac arrhythmia, less causal to treat than diabetes, they are nevertheless something quite commonplace. Incidentally, they affect every second person at some point in their lives, at least in the Western world.

And the causes are considered just as commonplace: biological susceptibilities that are genetically determined, as well as developmental factors that begin in the womb, but also social influences that continue into adolescence. The research we are outlining here in cooperation with the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim (CIMH) and using the example of the new Center for Innovative Psychiatric and Psychotherapeutic Research (ZIPP) is correspondingly complex.

Michael Simm provides an introduction: New tools for repairing the soul.