From ancient remedies to today’s cuttingedge treatments, for centuries people have attempted to unravel what causes mental illness and how it can best be treated.

Documentary series MYSTERIES OF MENTAL ILLNESS (PBS 7-10 Feb at 7.35PM) explores all aspects of mental health, from ancient conceptions of mental illness and the establishment of psychiatry, to the rise of science as a tool for diagnosis rather than dogma. It steps inside Cook County prison, now unintentionally America’s largest mental health facility, and follows the challenges faced by the detainees, inside and out.

Finally, there are cutting-edge treatments such as deep brain stimulation surgery, infusions of ketamine and modern electro-convulsive therapy. These new frontiers point the way towards a greater understanding of the mind’s mysteries in the 21st century.