Being Bleuler: the second century of schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this paper is to examine the background to the emblematic psychiatric term, schizophrenia, the historical, cultural and social factors affecting the two men who defined modern psychiatric practice, and anticipate what lies ahead in the next century.

Conclusions: The term schizophrenia was created by Swiss psychiatrist Eugene Bleuler and first used on 24 April 1908. The condition was first described by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin and called dementia praecox. After a century, it is impossible to think of the practice of psychiatry without schizophrenia.