The Treatment of Mental

Illness
Then and Now

Then

Were placed in institutions similar to jails

that were overcrowded and had no
budget
Shackled to the walls
Put into tanks of ice water
Spun in a chair for a long time
Isolation and Immobilization
Restrained to beds with leather straps
Straight jackets
Kept in filthy conditions
Physically abused
Insulin induced comas

Lobotomies
Malarial Infections
Electroshock therapy
These methods used
since the 1400s

Now

Medication (ex: Prozac for depressive

thoughts, Risperidone for schizophrenia
symptoms)
Psychotherapy
Hospitalization
A support group
A self-help plan
Art therapy
Electroshock therapy still used, but only
for severe cases

Hypothesis
The change from the past to now with the treatment of the mentally ill is
very different. It has gone from full frontal lobe lobotomies to, at most severe,
light electroshock therapy (with permission from the person). So what caused
this change? I suppose people started to humanize the mentally ill more. I
dont have a good idea of why that could be, perhaps it was because people of
colour and different sexualities were being included more, and people
thought Why not do the same with the mentally ill?

Bibliography for Then

http://www.narpa.org/webdoc6.htm
http://www.dualdiagnosis.org/mental-health-and-addiction/history/
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/malarial
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobotomy
http://www.neatorama.com/2007/06/12/10-mind-boggling-psychiatrictreatments/
http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/8-horrific-cures-mental-illnessthrough-ages

Bibliography for Now

http://www.mayoclinic.org/testsprocedures/psychotherapy/basics/definition/prc-20013335
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/types-mental-health-treatments
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/art+therapy
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications/index.
shtml
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-signs-typesand-causes.htm
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/is-hospitalization-necessary