The history of mental health treatments Society's approach to mental illness treatment has radically changed throughout the centuries. It has evolved across cultures and time, adapting as the understanding of the human condition has changed along with advances in science, medicine, and psychology.
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What is a brief history of mental illness?
Module 2: A Brief History of Mental Illness and the U.S. Mental Health Care System The history of mental illness in the United States is a good representation of the ways in which trends in psychiatry and cultural understanding of mental illness influence national policy and attitudes towards mental health.
How were the mentally ill treated in the past?
TREATMENT IN THE PAST For much of history, the mentally ill have been treated very poorly. It was believed that mental illness was caused by demonic possession, witchcraft, or an angry god (Szasz, 1960). For example, in medieval times, abnormal behaviors were viewed as a sign that a person was possessed by demons.
When did mental health deinstitutionalization start?
This law made ready for the establishment of the Public Organization on Emotional wellness (NIMH) in 1949. The 1950s to 1960s: A rush of deinstitutionalization starts, moving patients from a history of mental illness medical clinics to outpatient or less prohibitive private settings.
When is an individual hospitalized for mental illness?
Usually individuals are hospitalized only if they are an imminent threat to themselves or others. View this timeline showing the history of mental institutions in the United States. Most people suffering from mental illnesses are not hospitalized.
How has the treatment of mental illness changed over time?
Mental health has been transformed over the last seventy years. There have been so many changes: the closure of the old asylums; moving care into the community; the increasing the use of talking therapies. They have all had a hugely positive impact on patients and mental health care.
What are the historical perspectives about mental illness?
The prevailing views of early recorded history posited that mental illness was the product of supernatural forces and demonic possession, and this often led to primitive treatment practices such as trepanning in an effort to release the offending spirit.
What were some early treatments for the mentally ill?
History of Mental Illness TreatmentTrephination. Trephination dates back to the earliest days in the history of mental illness treatments. ... Bloodletting and Purging. ... Isolation and Asylums. ... Insulin Coma Therapy. ... Metrazol Therapy. ... Lobotomy.
When did treatment for mental illness begin?
Modern treatments of mental illness are most associated with the establishment of hospitals and asylums beginning in the 16th century.
How was mental illness treated in the 19th century?
In early 19th century America, care for the mentally ill was almost non-existent: the afflicted were usually relegated to prisons, almshouses, or inadequate supervision by families. Treatment, if provided, paralleled other medical treatments of the time, including bloodletting and purgatives.
How was mental illness treated in the 1960s?
In the 1960s, social revolution brought about major changes for mental health care including a reduction in hospital beds, the growth of community services, improved pharmacological and psychological interventions and the rise of patient activism.
How were mentally ill treated throughout history?
For much of history, the mentally ill have been treated very poorly. It was believed that mental illness was caused by demonic possession, witchcraft, or an angry god (Szasz, 1960). For example, in medieval times, abnormal behaviors were viewed as a sign that a person was possessed by demons.
How did people treat mental health in the past?
Exorcisms, malnutrition, and inappropriate medications all appeared as treatment methods for people with mental illnesses. The idea that people with mental illness were “crazy” or “other-worldly” influenced the lack of effective treatment methods.
How did they used to treat mental illness?
Perhaps one of the earliest forms of treatment for mental illness, trephination, also called trepanation, involved opening a hole in the skull using an auger, bore, or even a saw. By some estimates, this treatment began 7,000 years ago.
How were mentally ill patients treated in the 1950s?
The use of certain treatments for mental illness changed with every medical advance. Although hydrotherapy, metrazol convulsion, and insulin shock therapy were popular in the 1930s, these methods gave way to psychotherapy in the 1940s. By the 1950s, doctors favored artificial fever therapy and electroshock therapy.
How was mental illness treated in the 1970s?
In the treatment of mental disorders, the 1970s was a decade of increasing refinement and specificity of existing treatments. There was increasing focus on the negative effects of various treatments, such as deinstitutionalization, and a stronger scientific basis for some treatments emerged.
How were mental illnesses treated in the 1930s?
In the 1930s, mental illness treatments were in their infancy and convulsions, comas and fever (induced by electroshock, camphor, insulin and malaria injections) were common. Other treatments included removing parts of the brain (lobotomies).
Where did the first mental health reform take place?
But it was in Paris, in 1792, where one of the most important reforms in the treatment of mental health took place. Science Museum calls Pinel “the founder of moral treatment,” which it describes as “the cornerstone of mental health care in the 1800s.” 9,10 Pinel developed a hypothesis that mentally unhealthy patients needed care and kindness in order for their conditions to improve; to that effect, he took ownership of the famous Hospice de Bicêtre, located in the southern suburbs of Paris. He ordered that the facility be cleaned, patients be unchained and put in rooms with sunlight, allowed to exercise freely within hospital grounds, and that their quality of care be improved.
Who had the most progressive ideas in how they treated the people among them who had mental health concerns?
Two papyri, dated as far back as the 6th century BCE, have been called “the oldest medical books in the world.”. It was the ancient Egyptians who had the most progressive ideas (of the time) in how they treated the people among them who had mental health concerns.
What did Freud do to help people with mental health problems?
Mainstream psychology may not have thought much of psychoanalysis, but the attention Freud’s work received opened other doors of mental health treatment, such as psychosurgery, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychopharmacology. These treatments originated from the biological model of mental illness, which put forward that mental health problems were caused by biochemical imbalances in the body (an evolution of the “four humors” theory) and needed to be treated like physical diseases; hence, for example, psychosurgery (surgery on the brain) to treat the symptoms of a mental health imbalance.
Why is having a mentally ill person in the family bad?
Having a mentally ill person in the family suggests an inherited, disqualifying defect in the bloodline and casts doubt on the social standing and viability of the entire family. For that reason, mentally unhealthy family members were (and still are) brutally and mercilessly ostracized.
What is the oldest medical book?
Two papyri, dated as far back as the 6th century BCE, have been called “the oldest medical books in the world,” for being among the first such documents to have identified the brain as the source of mental functioning (as well as covering other topics like how to treat wounds and perform basic surgery). 4.
What were the causes of mental illness in ancient times?
Ancient theories about mental illness were often the result of beliefs that supernatural causes, such as demonic possession, curses, sorcery, or a vengeful god, were behind the strange symptoms. Remedies, therefore, ran the gamut from the mystical to the brutal.
When did Freud's psychoanalysis become popular?
Freud’s psychoanalysis eventually went the way of the moral treatment method, being widely criticized and eventually discarded for lacking verifiability and falsifiability, but it proved a popular form of mental health treatment until the mid-1900s.
When did mental health start?
The term “mental hygiene” spread in the medical field starting in the 19th century. Prior to this, there wasn’t an official term to describe emotional or behavioral struggles that have existed for ages.
What were the new forms of mental health in the 19th and 20th centuries?
In addition to isolation, the 19th and 20th century brought new forms of addressing mental health concerns, including: Freudian therapeutic techniques, such as the “talking cure.”. Electroshock, a.k.a electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Antipsychotic drugs and other medications.
What are the different types of mental health?
In addition to isolation, the 19th and 20th century brought new forms of addressing mental health concerns, including: 1 Freudian therapeutic techniques, such as the “talking cure.” 2 Electroshock, a.k.a electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) 3 Antipsychotic drugs and other medications 4 Lobotom y and other forms of psychosurgery
What were the two categories of mental health issues in the 16th century?
In the 16th century, many doctors split mental health issues into two categories: demonic possession or physical illness. When a physical ailment or abnormality presented itself in a patient with mental illness, treatments often focused on fixing the physical symptoms.
What was the use of social isolation in the 1900s?
The use of social isolation through psychiatric hospitals and “insane asylums,” as they were known in the early 1900s, were used as punishment for people with mental illnesses.
Who are some famous people who have been involved in mental health?
Historians and mental health professionals have ample evidence of the history of mental illness through documented cases. These cases cover a wide array of issues, including anxiety and alcoholism. In fact, many researchers theorize that well-known historical figures such as Edgar Allan Poe, Ludwig Von Beethoven, ...
Is there a good treatment for mental illness?
With the first approaches to treatment resembling torture as well as the earlier incredulity of the existence of mental illness, it’s easy to feel as though there might not be a good treatment method mental health care.
Who believed in humane treatment of mental illness?
For example, there was Asclepiades of Bithynia (124 BCE – c. 30 BCE) who established a more humane approach to mental illness. Asclepiades believed that mental illness should be treated with harmony restoring activities such as fresh air, baths, exercise, music, massage and occupational therapy.
What is the most commonly performed treatment in history?
The most commonly performed treatment in history, though, is bloodletting (History.com, 2018). The medical practice of bloodletting also stems from Hippocrates, who believed illness stemmed from imbalanced humors in the body. Humors are bodily fluids such as blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile.
What was the most widely believed philosophy during the Middle Ages?
Middle Ages – 500 CE – 1500. The most widely believed philosophy during the middle ages was that the soul governs the body. This belief was influenced heavily by the religious influence of the churches and led to the scientific beliefs that demons were the cause of mental illness.
Why do churches make amulets for people with mental illness?
The church would often make amulets for the people living with mental illness in order to protect and soothe troubled minds (Foerschner, A. M., 2010).
When was electroshock therapy discovered?
Electroconvulsive Therapy, formerly known as electroshock therapy was incidentally discovered in the late 1930s. The people working at the asylums around this time had a good understanding of mental illnesses and discovered that psychotic patients who also suffered from epilepsy, seemed to improve mentally after a seizure.
When did Freud's methods fall out of favour?
Freud’s methods, although widely trained today, met heavy criticism and fell out of favour around the mid-50s (Foerschner, A. M., 2010). Overall one could describe the beginning of the 20th century as a bit more “hands-on” in regards to treating mental illnesses.
Who was the father of medicine?
Hippocrates, also known as the father of medicine, was a firm believer in trepanation and wrote a guide on how to perform them. But the Greek period is more known for its revolutionary new idea that mental illness wasn’t the result of evil spirits or vengeful gods or other spiritual explanations.
How many people in the US have mental health problems?
About one in five American adults suffer a mental illness per year, the National Alliance on the illness states. This is 43,8 million or over 18% of the population.
When did the NIMH start?
This law made ready for the establishment of the Public Organization on Emotional wellness (NIMH) in 1949. The 1950s to 1960s: A rush of deinstitutionalization starts, moving patients from a history of mental illness medical clinics to outpatient or less prohibitive private settings.
What did Dorothea Dix do in the 1840s?
He disallows the utilization of shackles or chains as restrictions. The 1840s: Dorothea Dix battles for a better day-to-day environment for the intellectually sick. For more than 30 years she campaigns for better consideration lastly gets the public authority to finance the structure of 32 state mental offices.
What was the first piece of American experience?
In the early piece of America’s set of experiences, individuals who had psychological sicknesses were put in establishments that were very like correctional facilities. Once inside these offices, individuals weren’t allowed the chance to leave, regardless of the amount they should do as such. Moreover, a portion of these offices had horrendous procedural principles that permitted individuals with sicknesses to be treated in unspeakably brutal manners.
What did Freud do in the 1900s?
In the early piece of 1900s, specialists started to attempt to comprehend what may cause an individual to act whimsically, and kinds’ opinions and sentiments may be joined to what outcasts would consider “frenzy.” Sigmund Freud was a significant impact here, clearly, as he built up various speculations that endeavored to clarify uncommon conduct, and he contrived treatments that meant to help individuals who may whenever have been set in jail with no assistance at all. [6]
When did the emotional well being act start?
This early time of the twentieth century denoted a major development in backing and care guidelines for emotional well-being care. 1946: President Harry Truman signs a law that expects to lessen psychological sickness in the US, the Public Emotional well-being Act.
Do western societies have mental illness?
However, much effort still needs to be undertaken to meet the full capacity of people with a mental illness. Most people in America suffer from a history of mental illness.
What is the history of mental illness?
Early History of Mental Illness (1) Many cultures have viewed mental illness as a form of religious punishment or demonic possession. In ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, and Roman writings, mental illness was categorized as a religious or personal problem. In the 5th century B.C., Hippocrates was a pioneer in treating mentally ill people ...
Who was the first person to treat the mentally ill?
In the 5th century B.C., Hippocrates was a pioneer in treating mentally ill people with techniques not rooted in religion or superstition; instead, he focused on changing a mentally ill patient’s environment or occupation, or administering certain substances as medications.
What is the MHA?
Mental Health America (MHA), originally founded by Clifford Beers in 1909 as the National Committee for Mental Hygiene, works to improve the lives of the mentally ill in the United States through research and lobbying efforts. A number of governmental initiatives have also helped improve the U.S. mental healthcare system .
What was the mental illness in the Middle Ages?
During the Middle Ages, the mentally ill were believed to be possessed or in need of religion. Negative attitudes towards mental illness persisted into the 18th century in the United States, leading to stigmatization of mental illness, and unhygienic (and often degrading) confinement of mentally ill individuals.
How many states did Dix build?
Over a 40-year period, Dix successfully persuaded the U.S. government to fund the building of 32 state psychiatric hospitals. (2) This institutional inpatient care model, in which many patients lived in hospitals and were treated by professional staff, was considered the most effective way to care for the mentally ill.
When was the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Health Centers Construction Act passed?
In 1963, Congress passed the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Health Centers Construction Act, which provided federal funding for the development of community-based mental health services.
When did the National Institute of Mental Health start?
In 1946 , Harry Truman passed the National Mental Health Act, which created the National Institute of Mental Health and allocated government funds towards research into the causes of and treatments for mental illness.
When did mental health parity change?
This changed with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which requires group health plans and insurers to make sure there is parity of mental health services (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.).
What did Dix discover about the mental health system?
She investigated how those who are mentally ill and poor were cared for, and she discovered an underfunded and unregulated system that perpetuated abuse of this population (Tiffany, 1891). Horrified by her findings, Dix began lobbying various state legislatures and the U.S. Congress for change (Tiffany, 1891).
What was the purpose of asylums in the 1960s?
It was once believed that people with psychological disorders, or those exhibiting strange behavior, were possessed by demons. These people were forced to take part in exorcisms, were imprisoned, or executed. Later, asylums were built to house the mentally ill, but the patients received little to no treatment, and many of the methods used were cruel. Philippe Pinel and Dorothea Dix argued for more humane treatment of people with psychological disorders. In the mid-1960s, the deinstitutionalization movement gained support and asylums were closed, enabling people with mental illness to return home and receive treatment in their own communities. Some did go to their family homes, but many became homeless due to a lack of resources and support mechanisms.
Why did people become homeless in the 1960s?
Some did go to their family homes, but many became homeless due to a lack of resources and support mechanisms.
What are the funding sources for mental health?
A range of funding sources pay for mental health treatment: health insurance, government, and private pay.
How much did the Department of Agriculture invest in mental health?
At the end of 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an investment of $50 million to help improve access and treatment for mental health problems as part of the Obama administration’s effort to strengthen rural communities.
How long does a psychiatric hospital stay?
In all types of hospitals, the emphasis is on short-term stays, with the average length of stay being less than two weeks and often only several days.
Mental Health Treatment in Ancient Times
The Oldest Medical Books in The World
- When violence wasn’t used, priest-doctors (like those in ancient Mesopotamia) would use rituals based on religion and superstition since they believed that demonic possession was the reason behind mental disturbances. Such rituals would include prayer, atonement, exorcisms, incantations, and other forms of tribalistic expressions of spirituality. However, shamans would …
The Four Humors
- Astandard belief across many of those ancient cultures was that mental illness was seen as a supernatural in origin, usually the result of an angry god (or goddess). In an attempt to attribute this to an understandable cause, people of those civilizations believed that a victim or a group of people had somehow trespassed against their deity and were being punished as a result. It took …
Caring For The Mentally Ill
- Typically, the patient’s family was responsible for custody and care of the patient. Outside interventions and facilities for residential treatment were rare; it wasn’t until 792 CE in Baghdad that the first mental hospital was founded.7 In Europe, however, family having custody of mentally ill patients was for a long time seen as a source of shame and humiliation; many families resort…
from Workhouses to Asylums
- However, there were some options for treatment beyond the limitations of family care (or custody). These including putting up the mentally unhealthy in workhouses, a public institution where the poorest people in a church parish were given basic room and board in return for work. Others were checked into general hospitals, but they were often abandoned and ignored. Clergy i…
The Roots of Reform
- While bloodletting and inducing vomiting were still the preferred form of treatment (when staff actually deigned to help their wards), additional forms of “therapy” included dousing the patients in extremely hot or cold water, the idea being that the shock would force their minds back into a healthy state. The belief that mental disturbance was still a choice prevailed, so staff used physi…
Moral Treatment
- But it was in Paris, in 1792, where one of the most important reforms in the treatment of mental health took place. Science Museum calls Pinel “the founder of moral treatment,” which it describes as “the cornerstone of mental health care in the 1800s.”9,10 Pinel developed a hypothesis that mentally unhealthy patients needed care and kindness in order for their conditio…
Moving Away from Moral Treatment
- The radical nature of moral treatment made waves on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. When the moral method reached the shores of the United States, doctors understood it to be a comprehensive way of treating mentally ill people by working on their social, individual, and occupational needs. This was the first time that the idea of rehabilitating mentally ill people bac…
Sigmund Freud
- Notwithstanding the end of the moral treatment movement, the conversation about mental health treatment was ready to take a big step forward. A major figure in that progression was Sigmund Freud. The famous Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist developed his theory of psychoanalysis, which gave rise to the practice of “talking cures” and free association, encouraging patients to ta…
The Rise and Fall of Electroconvulsive Therapy
- Mainstream psychology may not have thought much of psychoanalysis, but the attention Freud’s work received opened other doors of mental health treatment, such as psychosurgery, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychopharmacology. These treatments originated from the biological model of mental illness, which put forward that mental health problems were caused …