Sheetal (1114393)

Topic: Views of abnormal behavior in the later middle ages and early part of renaissance.

Abnormal psychology: It is the scientific study whose objectives are to describe,explain,predict and control behaviors that are considered strange or unusual. (Robert.Carlson, 2007)

What we understand of abnormal psychology now was not understood the same way in the middle ages. example-mania was considered as an possession.But in the 1490-1541,a Swiss physician called Paraceleus who was an critic of superstitious belief insisted that mania was not an possession but an mental illness which requires treatment.

This change of mindset among the people along with scientific questioning resulted in a movement called as "humanism"-which challenged the superstitious belief of abnormal behavior     

During the 19^th century, a physician by name Philippe Pinel was in charge of a hospital for insane men in France .He came up with a movement called moral treatment movement ,which focused on a shift from being treated like animals in a zoo to a more humane treatment ,he ordered the inmates chains to be removed,replace dungeons with sunny roams and treat patients with kindness and compassion .This treatment resulted in faster recovery and improvement of the behavior in patients.

Establishment of early asylums.

In the 16^th century ,special institutions called asylums  which was meant for the mentally ill or insane people began to grow ,these asylums  were built as a way of looking after patients who could not look after themselves .But, shockingly these patients died amidst inhumane cruelty and filth .

The first hospital was established in Europe in 1409,Spain called the “Valencia mental hospital” founded by father. Juan Pilberto Jofre ,but there is very little know about the treatment in this hospital or asylum.

During the 1547,St.Mary monastery in Bethlehem, London was converted into an asylum called “Bedlam” it is infamously known for its  inhumane activities like ,making the mentally ill people exhibited for money, making them beg and other such activities.

In the early asylums, these inmates were treated more like beast rather than humans The following case study describes the treatment of the mentally ill patients in La Bicetre, a hospital in Paris 

Treatment of inmates in early hospital 

             The patients were shacked to the walls of their dark by iron collar that held them flat to the wall and permitted little movement , there were also iron hoops around the waists  and both their hands and feet were chained ,they were more or less treated like animals with giving little food often stale and stayed in filth and dirt mentally ill people who were aggressive towards others or who were considered dangerous to themselves were chained to trees .

The philosophy of the treatment involved is based on the belief that the patients need to choose rationality over insanity ,so the treatment were aggressive which was aimed at restoring a physical balance in the body and brain

They included powerful drugs, water treatment ,bleeding and blistering, electric shocks and physical restraints  .example: a violent patient might be thrown into ice water or a restless person into hot water or might be given drugs to exhaust them and they are also made to bleed to get rid of the harmful fluids.

Humanitarian reforms

There was a great need for a humanistic approach towards the mentally ill patients who could not look after themselves to be treated with kindness and empathy.

Philippe Pinel (1745-1826) conducted an experiment to test the effect of an humanitarian approach .he ordered the chains of the inmates to be removed,unlit rooms to be replaced with sunny rooms, abuse with peace and kindness the result he got was that the inmates were happy and were healing faster.

These innovation not only improved the care of mental patients but also changed the public attitude towards the mentally ill.The success of the humanitarian experiments revolutionized the treatment of mental patients through out the western world 

During the early part of Renaissance the use of Moral Management which is a method of treatment focused on a patients social,individual and occupational needs .Moral management in asylums focused on the patients moral and physical development rather than physical or mental disorders .The treatment was done through manual labour and spiritual discussion along with humane treatment .This  treatment was effective because it was done without  the use of anti-psychotic drugs 

In-spite of the effectiveness of moral management it lost its value during the later part of 19^th century because of :

Ethnic prejudice against the rising immigrant population.

Tension between staff and patients

The decline of moral management gave rise to Mental Hygiene Movement. It focused on the physical well-being of patients

Dix and the mental hygiene movement:

 Dorothea Dix (1802-1887)- she worked as a school teacher during her young adulthood period but then she was forced to quit  due to her having tuberculosis .In 1841 she began to teach in a women`s prison, by  seeing the horrible condition of jails and the inhumane treatment of mentally ill patients ,she carried out a campaign from(1841-1881) that aroused people and legislature to do something about the inhumane treatment which was being carried out

Slowly this movement began to spread to America, millions of dollars were raised to build hygienic hospitals ,she opened  two large institution in Canada and completely reformed the asylum system in Scotland and in several other countries establishing 32 mental hospitals 

Changing attitude towards mental health in the early 20^th century:

By the end of the 19^th century ,mental patients still lived in harsh condition inspite of all the reforms made, the public viewed asylums as scary place and were   frightened of the mentally ill  their was nothing done  by the psychiatrists  to remove that fear that existed.

Clifford beers(1876-1943): he described his own bad treatment of a mental condition he underwent he was  tortured  by a straitjacket which they used as a method for  quieting the patients after he recovered in the home of a kind attendant, he started a campaign to make people realize that kindness rather than cruelty heals the sick people .he soon won the interest of the public and even many eminent psychologists

Mental hospital care in the 20^th century:

The 20^th century began with the rapid growth of mental asylums for the mentally ill with the influence Clifford beers and others, during this period patients were hospitalized for many years with harsh treatment but,1946 marked the beginning of an important period of change where humane mental treatment were provided

During the 1950`s and 1960`s  there was a great need for reforms in the psychiatric hospitals a great deal of professional was given to improve the condition in mental hospitals .The movement to change the environment of these hospitals was by adopting scientific methods  example- the use of lithium in the treatment of manic depressive disorders

During the later decades of 20^th century, vigorous efforts were made to close down mental hospitals and turn down psychiatric  disturbed people to the community rather than they being isolated .This movement is referred to as “Deinstitutionalization”  

By the end of the 20^th century, inpatient mental care was replaced by community based care The role of psychiatric care is likely to progress further in the decades to come as people realize the importance of mental care and the problems that severe mental illness can cause if ignored or left untreated. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Robert.Carlson, J. (2007). abnormal psychology.