Psychiatric hospitals

One aspect of the reading that I found fascinating was the history of abnormality and development of the viewpoints to where they are today. Abnormality in the ancient times was viewed as a possession of evil spirits. Treatment for abnormality consisted of exorcism or trephination. Trephination is an operation, which involved removing part of the skull. This treatment was used for treating severe abnormal behavior by allowing a hole for the evil spirits to escape from. Later during the time of…

Before the 19th century in the American society, criminals were executed, whipped, and held in dark cells. The insane wandered around the asylums and were not cared for properly. Reformers wanted to establish an official institution for the insane and criminals that was humane. They believed that reform and rehabilitation was possible in a controlled environment. As part of the humanitarian reforms sweeping through America, asylums and prisons were for criminals and the mentally ill. The…

the 1960s struggling with the uncertainty of her own illness. With the parent’s persuasion, Susanna Kayson admits herself into a psychiatric institution and is later diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. The movie provides a great idea of one's own battle with discovering the truth behind their condition. Her battle shows that those suffering from a psychiatric disorder may not always meet the stereotypical picture , specifically displayed when taxi driver taking her to the institution…

Then and Now: Psychiatric Hospitals A psychiatric hospital is a hospital or ward that specializes in treating many different mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and many other serious disorders. Mental illness is often stigmatized in societies across the world. Treatments are changing everyday as medications and therapy become more readily available. The condition of mental hospitals and wards are changing drastically. Psychiatric hospitals of the 1950’s…

substance abuse while nearly two thirds of those awaiting trial faced the same issues (Birmingham, Gray, Mason, & Grubin, 2000). This is a startling fact that came from the study that is known to be the most comprehensive and reliable indicator of psychiatric morbidity among prisoners to date (Birmingham et al., 2000). Coming from a well-known journal and being backed up by saying that it is one of the most comprehensive studies to date helps to bring this topic to reality. Back in the United…

fragment of each person journey through life. Poppy Shakespeare by Clare Allan is a coming of age story following the journey of the psychiatric patient, N, and the protagonist’s progression towards becoming mentally healthy. N’s development in character and mental health is evident through the descriptions, physical appearance and attitude towards being a psychiatric patient throughout the novel. N’s progression is evident through the alteration in perception of the protagonist’s situation,…

Mental illness is probably the most misunderstood and abused illness in American culture. It was and still is an illness that is rarely discussed. The stigma surrounding it was so strong it was looked upon as a crime. Patients would be “put away” to not necessarily to be treated but to shield them from the public. This stigma has continued. In the media, the mentally ill are often times portrayed as the violent and unpredictable criminals that terrorize the normal people. They are still viewed…

deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill was a serious mistake. In order to draw this conclusion, I had to first understand what deinstitutionalization was and why we came to this decision as a country. In 1955 the number of patients in mental hospitals peaked to a striking 560,000 patients only a year after Thorazine, an antipsychotic drug was approved by the Food and Drug administration. Not even 10 years later, John F. Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health act to enact federal…

The history of abnormal behavior was prominent in Western culture until Age of Enlightenment. The ancient Greece, people who behaved peculiarly were sent to sanctuaries dedicated to Aesculapius, the god of healing. Incurables were driven from the temple by stoning. A difference of humors, he thought, accounted for abnormal behavior. A sluggish person was believed to have a large amount of mucus. During, the Medieval Times supernatural causes, led to beliefs that abnormal behaviors were a sign…

The Weight of Authority At the time at which Kesey was writing his novel, significant reform was going on in the treatment of the mentally ill in asylums. Many people were appalled at the conditions and abuse in mental hospitals. This abuse of patients along with the advent of certain antipsychotic drugs led to a strong push for deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Kesey utilizes the control panel to symbolize the suffocation of patients individual…