Throughout history mental illnesses have been the most misunderstood conditions affecting mankind. People exhibiting “strange”, “unusual” or “bizarre” behavior were shunned and/or feared. The person was thought to be possessed by “evil spirits” or “devils”. Over the centuries, many different “treatments” were devised to rid the person of the evil spirits that possessed them. The practice of drilling holes in a person’s skull to let the evil spirits escape began thousands of years ago and continues today in some primitive societies.
During the Middle Ages the most effective method of removing the devil was to burn both the person and the devil at the stake. While this treatment was a disaster for the “possessed” individual, it did bring peace …show more content…
They were beaten, tortured, restrained most of the time, received electrical shocks to the head that induced convulsions, bled (sometimes to the points of death), injected with insulin to produce a coma, and/or had portions of their brains damaged by several types of surgical procedures (lobotomies). This treatment usually was not a willful, sadistic action on the part of the administration and staff of the asylums. These abuses were the result of ignorance. For the most part, these people were trying to help the patients. At the time, however, the medical profession had no idea how the brain functioned and the causes of mental illness.
Surprisingly, some patients actually benefited from the electrical shocks. The only medications were sedatives. The most commonly used drugs were cocaine and laudanum (a mixture of alcohol and opium). These drugs were used to control behavior by drugging the patient into …show more content…
Just removing the person from the daily stresses of living provided the necessary quiet time for recuperation. These individuals were released back into society after their recovery.
World War I brought to light the condition post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At that time it was known as “shell-shock.” A number of military personnel suffered severe mental illness while under conditions of extreme stress. Many of these individuals recovered after being removed from the stressful conditions of combat. Those who did not recover had to be admitted to Veterans Administration hospitals for continued care.
In the early 1900s (World Wars I and II era) “talking” therapies became very popular. Psychiatrists would explain the effects of stress on the mind and body. They would attempt to interpret and explain the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the person with mental illness. If talking therapy did not relieve the symptoms of the mental illness, the individuals would be sent to either a mental hospital or a psychiatric unit of a medical hospital. The person usually received electro-convulsive (ECT) and/or insulin shock therapy after being hospitalized. These treatments helped some patients. ECT has been refined, improved considerably and is used today to treat some cases of deep depression that are resistant to medication. Insulin shock is no longer a treatment
During the Middle Ages the most effective method of removing the devil was to burn both the person and the devil at the stake. While this treatment was a disaster for the “possessed” individual, it did bring peace …show more content…
They were beaten, tortured, restrained most of the time, received electrical shocks to the head that induced convulsions, bled (sometimes to the points of death), injected with insulin to produce a coma, and/or had portions of their brains damaged by several types of surgical procedures (lobotomies). This treatment usually was not a willful, sadistic action on the part of the administration and staff of the asylums. These abuses were the result of ignorance. For the most part, these people were trying to help the patients. At the time, however, the medical profession had no idea how the brain functioned and the causes of mental illness.
Surprisingly, some patients actually benefited from the electrical shocks. The only medications were sedatives. The most commonly used drugs were cocaine and laudanum (a mixture of alcohol and opium). These drugs were used to control behavior by drugging the patient into …show more content…
Just removing the person from the daily stresses of living provided the necessary quiet time for recuperation. These individuals were released back into society after their recovery.
World War I brought to light the condition post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At that time it was known as “shell-shock.” A number of military personnel suffered severe mental illness while under conditions of extreme stress. Many of these individuals recovered after being removed from the stressful conditions of combat. Those who did not recover had to be admitted to Veterans Administration hospitals for continued care.
In the early 1900s (World Wars I and II era) “talking” therapies became very popular. Psychiatrists would explain the effects of stress on the mind and body. They would attempt to interpret and explain the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the person with mental illness. If talking therapy did not relieve the symptoms of the mental illness, the individuals would be sent to either a mental hospital or a psychiatric unit of a medical hospital. The person usually received electro-convulsive (ECT) and/or insulin shock therapy after being hospitalized. These treatments helped some patients. ECT has been refined, improved considerably and is used today to treat some cases of deep depression that are resistant to medication. Insulin shock is no longer a treatment