If you are even remotely connected to psychiatry, you need to know about the symbols that represent this great study. Some of them work as part of logos of psychiatric practices and institutions, while the more adventurous use it to permanently ink their skin in the form of tattoos. Whatever you may have in mind, you need to know the pictorial representations for some of the most popular subjects under psychiatry.
Image Source: wordpress.com
PSI – All-About-Psychology.com explains it perfectly: “To discover the origin of the psychology symbol, you simply have to trace its etymology (word origin and sense development). The symbol…represents the penultimate letter of the Greek word psuche, meaning mind or soul, from which the term psyche arose; which in turn gave us the name of the discipline psychology which is most commonly defined as the study of the mind”. Yes, it does say “psychology” and not “psychiatry” but the symbol is still used to represent the latter.
Image Source: tufts.edu
Melancholy and Raving Madness – If you have heard of the infamous Bethlem Royal Hospital, or Bedlam as it is colloquially called – then you are sure to know about the famous sculpture that adorns the premises – Melancholy and Raving Madness. Built by Caius Gabriel Cibber to represent what we would now know as Schizophrenia, this sculpture basically represented what commonly happens with mentally imbalanced individuals.
Image Source: imgkid.com
Bipolar Disorder – This symbol though simple, perfectly represents what this particular mental disorder entails. With mood swings between depression and euphoria, bipolar disorder can be difficult for those who suffer from it. The pictorial depiction shows the split feelings for a patient. Many tattoos and other similar images are boldly worn by victims to create awareness and fight stigma.
Image Source: deviantart.com
Butterfly Effect – Though not directly related to psychiatry, it does involve the mind and was made famous by the Ashton Kutcher-starrer thriller movie of the same name. It was coined by Edward Lorenz and implied how the mere flapping of a butterfly’s wings could eventually lead to a hurricane. It talks about the effects that one small action can cause a domino reaction to other circumstances.
Image Source: blogspot.com
Psi and Snake – If you see this symbol outside an office, you will know that it belongs to a practicing psychiatrist. It amalgamates the psi, the symbol for psychology (as mentioned earlier) and the snake that stands for the medical world. This combined symbol is used very often and depicts professionalism for treating mental disorders.
Liked this article on Symbols Of Psychiatry and have anything else you would like to add? Comment below and don’t forget to SHARE THIS ARTICLE!
