Mental Illness Reform Research Paper

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Alexandra Karpinski Mr. Griffith AP United States History 15 December 2017 During the Mental Illness Reform of the 1600s to 1877, people who had mental illness encountered various challenges that negatively affected their lives, which were caused by the shame of the ‘disease’. Those who were born with the now-know dyslexia, autism, and many more, were considered monsters and were hidden away from society. From the acts of neglect that were brought by the religious aspect of the church that caused lack of mental and social support by family and town members, those who were 'different' were destined to live the life of cruelty and abuse by being locked up and facing the barbaric and inhumane hospital treatments. While insanity was a growing topic in America, there were only two options for those opposed as threats: those who were considered “mad” were either locked up or hidden from society, and even those who stood out also were looked at more closely. In fact, the main idea on how America could possibly become a ‘perfect’ society included locking up the ones that truly needed help, because obviously their feelings aren’t valid. In order to obtain a good reputation, the main goal was to minimize the …show more content…

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

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