History of Psychiatric Nursing Early history Insanity is associated with sin and demonic possession People believe that

any sickness indicated displeasure of the gods and in fact was punishment for sins and wrongdoing

Treatment of mentally ill was sometimes inhumane and brutal

If insanity is viewed as divine, the individual will be worshiped and adored If insanity is viewed as demonic, the individual will be ostracized, punished and sometimes burned at the stake Rituals, herbs, ointments and precious stones used to try to extract demons Mental illness is thought to be incurable Early Treatments for Mental Illness ARISTOTLE (382-322 BC) Attempted to relate mental disorders and developed his theory that the amounts of blood, water and yellow and black bile in the body controlled the emotions. These 4 substances or humors corresponded with: Happiness, calmness, anger, sadness

Imbalances of the 4 were believed to cause mental disorders Treatment was aimed at restoring balance through: blood letting, starving, purging (up to 19th century)

Trepanning (Trephining) In ancient times trepanning was performed on live patients suffering from fractured skulls, convulsions, and insanity. Disks of bone from the skulls of cadavers were often carved and used as religious amulets in ancient Egypt.

EARLY CHRISTIAN TIMES (1-1000 AD)

All diseases were again blamed to demons

Mentally were viewed as possessed

Priests performed exorcisms to rid of evil spirits When that failed, they used more severe and brutal measures, such as incarceration in dungeons, flogging and starving The Middle Ages

No actual treatment Mentally ill were homeless, begged for food on the streets, or imprisoned Charity of religious groups provided food, shelter, and ran almshouses People with mental illness were distinguished from criminals in England Harmless- allowed to wander the countryside or live in rural communities Dangerous lunatics- thrown into prison, chained and starved

Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem built in London, England during the 14th century.

In 1547, the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem was officially declared a hospital for insane The Fifteenth through the Seventeenth Centuries

Skepticism was rampant Conditions of asylums were deplorable

Insane were treated like animals Thought not to have feelings

Were believed to lack understanding Men and women not given separate quarters Violent inmates were placed with those convalescing or tranquil Poorly clothed and fed The Eighteenth Century

In 1775, visitors at the institution were charge a fee for the privilege of viewing and ridiculing inmates who were seen as animals, less than human During the same period in the colonies (later US), the mentally ill were considered evil or possessed and were punished Witch hunts were conducted and offenders were burned at the stake

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH

Adolf Meyer(1900)

Clifford Whittingham Beers (1908)

(1949)

(1961)

(1908)