The medicalization of suicide in 19th century Spain: theoretical, professional and cultural aspects

Abstract

This paper analyzes the medicalization process of suicide in Spain during the 19^th century. It describes the transition of suicide seen as an act of free will to a model, developed by mental doctors, which considered it a pathological behavior. Against this model, other conservative positions from the fields of Law and Medicine continued to defend the traditional view. The initial interest of mental medicine regarding the social aspects of suicide was developed during this period. The social factor that authors considered to be the most influential to suicide was the loss of religious ideas, which was understandable considering that religion was very present in Spanish science and society throughout the century. During the last decades of the 19^th century, with the introduction of the degeneration theory in Spain, this behavior was finally included among the «Social Diseases» group.