The stalwart – Adolf Meyer

Abstract

Adolf Meyer (1866–1950), a Swiss-born American psychiatrist, was a prominent figure in the development of Anglo-American psychiatry. He rose to prominence as the president of the American Psychiatric Association. His psychobiological approach emphasized a holistic understanding of mental illness, integrating social, psychological, and biological factors. This laid the foundation for a new approach to psychiatry focusing on individualized care and the importance of social adaptation as a biological function. Meyer’s work challenged traditional biomedical views by advocating for a comprehensive model that considered the mind and body as interconnected entities. He was directly responsible for transforming “insane asylums” into “mental hospitals.”