12 Psychiatrists who Shaped Psychiatry in Turkey in the Republic's First Century

Who are the influential figures that molded Turkish Psychiatry into what it is today? This review introduces 12 psychiatrists who shaped psychiatry in Turkey during the first century of the Republic. The article presents Rasit Tahsin, the first neuropsychiatrist who establish an academic psychiatry department in Turkey; Mazhar Osman, who had so much influence that his name became a phrase to describe the mentally ill, and still lives on with the institutions he built; Ihsan Sukru, the founder of neuropathology in Turkey, a historical figure in viral encephalitis research; Fahrettin Kerim Gokay, famous for his political career and his fight against alcohol and tobacco; Rasim Adasal, a Cretian who is a cornerstone in Ankara psychiatry and a well-known figure in Turkish society life; Abdulkadir Ozbek, who introduced psychodrama to Anatolia-his 'earth'; Leyla Zileli, who disseminated psychoanalysis from Ankara to Turkey; Orhan Ozturk, a founding figure for the Journal, the Association, and Hacettepe; Ayhan Songar, a prominent figure in society and also in state bureaucracy; Ozcan Koknel, the amiable face of psychiatry in society and a respected voice; Oğuz Arkonaç, a vigorous advocate for the establishment of contemporary psychiatry with DSM III in Bakırköy and then in Turkey; and Gunsel Koptagel-Ilal, who progressed the work in the psychosomatics as one of Turkey's first female psychiatry academics. As with any list, we acknowledge that absolute consensus is not possible; we are preparing a more extensive selection to be published as a book next year. We present our selection to your liking, hoping that one or more of our colleagues reading this article will be included in the selection for the next century, reflecting our collective conscious creation of psychiatry in Turkey. Keywords: Neuropsychiatry, History, Medicine, Turkey, Psychoanalysis, Psychosomatics.

A Brief History of Psychiatry in the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye

In this review, we aimed to outline the scientific advances and service capacity in Turkish psychiatry within the century-long history of the Republic. We propose that the history of Turkish Psychiatry also sheds light on the history of our country. We have reviewed significant milestones in Turkish Psychiatry; the establishment of psychiatric hospitals, the development of formal psychiatry training, academic and scientific proceedings and the founding of professional organizations in the Republic era. We aimed to offer insights into the role of psychiatry in the modernization of our country, as well as to establish a foundation for future improvements by evaluating the progress made in the field of mental health services. The story that began with 20 neuropsychiatrists and 300 psychiatric beds in one mental hospital has now reached over 4000 psychiatrists and twenty-thousand psychiatric beds. Psychiatry in Türkiye continues its historical evolution with expansion in size and advancements in quality. Keywords: History of Psychiatry in Türkiye, History of the Republic of Türkiye, History of Medicine.

Two Branches of the Same Tree: A Brief History of Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society (1914-2016)

Introduction

The aim of this article is to provide a brief history of Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society by examining its institutional background, the milestones within its history, and the major activities undertaken by the organization during the years.

Methods

Firstly, the books, journals, and articles that are related to the history of psychiatry and neurology in Turkey have been reviewed and the information that can explain the history of the society has been brought together. The founding records, regulations, journals, and congress booklets of Tababet-i Akliye ve Asabiye Cemiyeti (Society of Psychiatry and Neurology) have been examined and the newspapers of the period have been reviewed to collect news concerning congresses and meetings. Besides, oral history interviews have been conducted with regard to the recent history of the society.

Results

Although the roots of neuropsychiatry in Turkey date back to the mid-nineteenth century, the first society, which was called Tababet-i Akliye ve Asabiye Cemiyeti (Society of Psychiatry and Neurology), was founded in 1914. The organization now maintains its activities under the name Türk Nöropsikiyatri Derneği (Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society). Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society has organized monthly meetings, conferences, and national congresses and has published numerous scientific journals in the field of neuropsychiatry over the past century.

Conclusion

As one of the earliest societies of medical specialty in Turkey, Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society has played a crucial role in the development and institutionalization of psychiatry and neurology. The administration and activities of the society occurred in the following institutions respectively: Toptaşı Asylum (1914-1925), Bakırköy (1925-1955), and Çapa (Psychiatry Clinic of Medical Faculty of İstanbul University). The society was mainly composed of psychiatrists and neurologists; however, neurosurgeons, psychologists, and neuropsychologists also attended the congresses and meetings held by the group.

The Effect of Violence on the Diagnoses and the Course of Illness Among Female Psychiatric Inpatients

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to determine the rate of exposure to domestic violence among female inpatients at any period of their lives; to investigate the effect of different forms of violence on the diagnoses and the course of the illness.

METHOD

The study was conducted on 102 female inpatients treated at Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) was administered and socio-demographic and clinical data was collected. A form designed for the assessment of violence was used to evaluate domestic violence.

RESULTS

Ninety patients reported that they had been subjected to some kind of violence at some period of their lives. The parents or husbands were the most frequently reported persecutors. Seventy-three patients reported that they had been subjected to violence before the onset of their illness. Seventy-one had been subjected to physical, 79 to verbal, 42 to sexual, 52 to economic violence, and 49 to constraints on social relationship formation. Comorbid diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was related to all types of violence. The rate of suicide attempt was found to be significantly related to verbal-emotional violence. Only 12 patients had previously reported being subjected to domestic violence to their psychiatrist.

CONCLUSION

Domestic violence, an often overlooked phenomenon, is prevalent among women with psychiatric disorders. Subjection to domestic violence is found to be correlated with PTSD and suicidal attempt.