Mental-Illness Reform Movement

Mental Illness Reform

Dorothea Dix was a true pioneer for the field of mental health care. She took an ultra-proactive approach to her work, campaigning hard to gain more rights for those occupying asylums, reported first-hand the indefensibly horrendous conditions of most insane asylums, and was one of the first to begin spreading the notion that people suffering from brain disorders were not 'willfully perverse.'

Clifford Beers was a young man with everything going for him. He had recently graduated from Yale, was an up-and coming young businessman, and his life seemed charmed. However, after the death of his brother, Beers had a breakdown, attempted suicide, and was institutionalized. After spending years trapped in hospitals for the mentally ill, he went on to write the book 'A Mind That Found Itself,' which altered the way America perceived mental health care forever.

During her career, Dorothea Dix went to asylums everywhere to check the conditions of the mentally ill. It angered her when she found out how the mentally ill and imprisoned were mistreated. With that evidence, she informed lawmakers to bring the problem to light. She is one of the most important Mental activists ever.

The Movement was a great success in my opinion. In that time period, people everywhere were abused because of their mental disability. Now, there is little to no abuse at all in hospitals and jails. The change that the movement brought is still lasting. Unfortunately, if I were part born in that time period, I would most likely not have taken part. This is because I am not one to take matters into my own hands like the Reformers of this act. I prefer to stay on the sidelines and observe what is going on.

Mental-Illness Reform Movement

Phillipe Pinel

Persuasive Tactics

Three of the most effective tactics that were used to spread information were to write books, to start campaigns, and to bring the problems to attention. As you will see, this is what many of the major advocates did.

Noteworthy books of the movement

Philippe Pinel was a French physician in Paris, but is most famous for his accomplishments in the last 30 years of his life as an advocate for the mentally ill. Specifically, Pinel established an important connection between the field of medicine and the treatment and diagnoses of mental disorders. Beginning in 1795, Pinel taught medical physics and internal medicine at the Paris Health School and eventually was elected as a member of the Academy of Sciences in 1803. Between 1802 and 1805, Pinel advocated for “moral treatment” of the mentally ill and emphasized the importance of a patient-doctor relationship. Although he worked in the field of medicine, his treatments are considered moral because he did not use any medication or physical interventions.

by Alex Huang

Period 5

3/24

A Mind That Found Itself was a book by Clifford Beers. As mentioned earlier, he was one of the key figures of the Reform. He wrote the book after an attempted suicide caused by the shock upon hearing about his brothers death. This book was then sold in the U.S., across the seas, and was a major influence in the Mental Reform Act.

Mental Asylums

Mental Asylums were opened up under strong advocates of the Reform, such as Phillipe Pinel, Dorothea Dix, etc. In these asylums, abuse was protected against. These asylums were watched over by the key figures of the Act.

Key Aspects of the Act

• Books were written
• Campaigns for advocating the Act
• Mental Asylums opened under the key figures of the movement

Dorothea Dix's Campaigns

Major Reformers of the Mental-Illness Act

• Dorothea Dix
• Clifford Beers
• Philippe Pinel

Bibliography

Dorothea Dix

http://www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=96

http://www.pinelschool.org/pp.htm

http://bipolar.about.com/od/authorswriters/p/cliffordbeers.htm

http://www.biography.com/people/dorothea-dix-9275710

http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/dorotheadix.html

Long-Term Effects of the Movement

Clifford Beers

What was the Mental Reform Act?

The Mental Reform Act was "issued" because the mentally ill were being abused and chained down in their hospitals. They had untrained nurses at their side and were vastly mistreated. Thus, Advocates such as Dorothea Dix, Clifford Beers, etc tried to help them.