Mentally Ill In The 18th Century

The third development it is one that caught a lot of attention and inspired lots of films, novels and book throughout modern times. The 13 century in the history of psychopathology it’s known by the time when asylums began to emerge. (Roberts, A. 1981/Birth of the City London Bedlam) In the above developments there weren’t specific places for the mentally ill, because in most cases they were pursued and punished. That’s why in this century another paradigm comes in and changes the way people saw the mentally disable. By this time people know and have an idea that the illness is located in the human body and specifically in the brain. Consequently in this century sciences and knowledge keep advancing and every day new discoveries shape the way
humans perceived life, and also mental illnesses.
Even though there were great scientific advances, this period is noted for the great atrocities that were committed towards the mentally ill, demonstrating that even in this time the mentally ill were treated in a brutally way by violating their rights. The hospital in Bethlehem is founded around the thirteen century. Originally the hospital consisted of minimum spaces for patients, but over the years it continued to expand until the ability of hundreds of mentally ill patients. In this day and age it’s a well-known Museum. It is known that Bethlem was not originally meant to be a hospital for the mentally ill. (Roberts, A. 1981/Birth of the City London Bedlam) It is Europe’s oldest existing psychiatric hospital and it has been unceasingly functioning for over more than 500 years.
It has been so crucially significate that even the word Bedlam is considered as a synonymous of madness.
After the year 1330 Bethlem was referred to as a hospital, without losing its main purpose of providing accommodation for peregrinating soul seekers from the Crusades. It officially stated operating for the mentally ill on 1460. (Roberts, A. 1981/Birth of the City London Bedlam) Bethlem it is also known for some atrocities committed to their mentally ill inmates. History gives us an insight about events like this that took place in the Bethlem asylum. César – Francois de Saussure was a Swiss travel writer and he wrote about the Bethlem asylum during his tour to London on 1725. (Scott, P. 2006) César de Saussure
wrote:
“You find yourself in a long and wide gallery, on either side of which are a large number of little cells where lunatics of every description are shut up, and you can get a sight of these poor creatures, little windows being let into the doors. Many inoffensive madmen walk in the big gallery. On the second floor is a corridor and cells like those on the first floor, and this is the part reserved for dangerous maniacs, most of them being chained and terrible to behold. On holidays numerous persons of both sexes, but belonging generally to the lower classes, visit this hospital and amuse themselves watching these unfortunate wretches, who often give them cause for laughter. On leaving this melancholy abode, you are expected by the porter to give him a penny but if you happen to have no change and give him a silver coin, he will keep the whole sum and return you nothing”
As said in César writings about his travelling to London, it captures the violence mentally ill people were treated. Is no surprise that they charge people for this kind of visits, so they would ask for a donation in front of the entrance, so that could people see and in worst scenarios enjoy, the miserable conditions of patients. According to Edward Wakefield an English statistician and a leading advocator for lunacy reforms in 1815 reported a terrible mistreatment to one of Bethlem inmates a specifically one 55 year old patient reported that he was chained for more than twelve years. This and others specific revelations about the patient maltreatment around different asylums helped to rapidly form campaigns for a lunacy reform. (Roberts, A. 1981/Birth of the City London Bedlam)
The lunacy reform was to examine the conditions under the patients were restricted in asylums. The treatments for this century were lobotomy, a treatment intended to alleviate the distress by disrupting brain circuits that might be causing the illness, Ice water baths, physical restraints, isolation, insulin coma therapy intended to alter the wiring in the brain were unfortunately many patients died when they entered a state of coma, Electroconvulsive therapy. Many of this therapies were bound as they has terrible consequences in their patients. (Roberts, A. 1981/Birth of the City London Bedlam)
In this century many achievements were conquered as many patients seem to have a recovery, but also many died. Its contribution to the study of psychopathology stands in its importance of being one of the hospitals that took care specifically of mentally ill people from a time in history. Its contribution to society will always be there, because from history we can learn and how to shape it in order to maintain human rights, and not repeat the atrocities from history. Also many of the therapies used in this century were adapted to new inventions that we use nowadays, that are not harmful to the patient.
In conclusion the history of psychopathology is very vast, and also very fascinating.
In our time and as future psychologist it is intrinsic that future professionals can understand the history of the branch in science they are studying. The history of psychopathology was one of the most relevant in the study of humanity as its studies human behavior. For better or worse history tells us about the different perspectives and approaches regarding a specific time. It is very easy to pass judgment against the treatments and care given to the mentally ill in the past centuries, but it is important to understand that every one of them was under a paradigm, a way of thought, and under the blindfold of
society.
People of the different times mentioned in this essay did what they thought it was best to alleviate the suffering of those with mental illness or demons (middle ages), but they all tried to treat it and it was a behavior that was doing harm to the person and the intention in all times was to extinguish it. At the modern era we have human rights, but many of them are recently acquired, for example the woman right to vote. It is no surprise that at different time of history mentally ill people were inhumanly treated, unfortunately until campaigns raised and people began to think differently, changing and entering a different paradigm. It is vital that those paradigms keep on changing and even in our time, because as sciences keeps evolving new medications, new ways of therapies keep appearing to achieve the wellbeing of human race and the complete understanding of abnormal behavior.