Final answer:
During the Middle Ages, mental disturbances were often attributed to evil spirits, a belief tied to the supernatural and religious understandings of the time. The 14th century saw migrations due to worsening environmental conditions and the Bubonic Plague. This period was characterized by social upheaval and significant shifts in religious and political structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Middle Ages, many people believed confusion and agitation were caused by evil spirits. This belief was part of a broader understanding of medicine that attributed mental and physical illnesses to supernatural causes or divine punishment rather than to natural or scientific explanations. In contrast, environmental pressures, notably worsening conditions and diseases, like the Bubonic Plague, caused many fourteenth-century individuals to migrate, searching for more hospitable conditions.
The difficult circumstances of the time, including the crises of authority in Europe and the spread of famine and disease, contributed to a significant demographic shift as people sought to escape the pressures and dangers of their local environments. This era also saw notable sociopolitical upheaval, the birth of the scientific revolution, and the eventual decline of feudalism, fostering increased social mobility and changes in religious beliefs and practices.