Today's Society has a very different view on Mental Illness. As a society we try to incorporate individual's with Mental Illnesses to participate in community events and be a part of a functioning society. With doing so we have provided the mentally ill community with treatment options such as medication, therapy and group support. But in some cases society's view has not changed, I would like to think we live in a perfect world where no one judged one another but unfortunately we don't and people with Mental Illness are often ridiculed, teased and excluded from society, just like in the Middle Ages. "In the Middle Ages Insane patients were put together and then herded onto ships and sailed port to port the ships were often called "the ships of fools". It wasn't until later on that they were put into asylums or hospitals."(Fuller Torrey,1983)
So not only were Mentally Ill individuals not accepted in society in the Middle Ages but the causes for Mental Illness are insane. They include "Supernatural causes such as demons and demonic possession, witchcraft and sorcery, mass hysteria, melancholy and stress."(Tyrell, C) But the unreasonable idea's do not stop there. There were many different ways that they thought would treat the insane individual such as " an exorcism shaving a pattern of a cross in the head hair and drinking ice-cold water. If none of these options worked than they would resort to using the torturous methods such as immersion in hot water and immersion in Sulfur flames."(Tyrell, C) It was to be believed that these abnormal ways of treatment would cure a Mentally Ill person, because they were simply possessed or that''s what they thought. I find it hard to believe that people would actually consider putting and individual through such torture. Thankfully we have come a long way in society and try to ensure that Mentally ill Individuals are not left out and are able to obtain the required medical attention needed.
References
1. E. Fuller Torrey, M. D.(1983).HubPage:Mental Diease In Ancient Times. Retrieved October 17th 2012 from
http://cristina327.hubpages.com/hub/MENTAL-DISEASE--IN-ANCIENT-TIMES
2.Tyrell, C. Treatment of the mentally ill. Retrieved October 17th 2012 from
http://mentalillness.umwblogs.org/middle-ages/
Karlie
I enjoyed reading your blog post. I agree with your comment at the end where you state that society has come a long way in how they treat the mentally ill. They are not left out and they are able to obtain the medical attention they need. I agree that society has taken steps in the right direction when dealing with mental illness. However, I also believe that society still has a lot of work to do in this area. Many stigmas still exist, I also believe that people are still scared of the word mental illness. When we hear that an indidviual may have an anti-social personality disorder, this individual is probably going to be feared. Just as fear existed in the past. In terms of the mentally ill obtaining the medical attention they need, I would argue that hosptials need to improve in this area durastically. Having worked in a hospital setting I have witnessed first hand that there is a shortage of beds for these individuals who are in a state of crisis. There has been improvment in this area, but in my opionion there needs to be more done.
ReplyDeleteAlissa B- Mental illness group
I really appreciate you discussing this topic. I truly believe based on the information you provided that society has come a long way since the days they treated people in this way. But I still believe like Alissa that there is still huge growth in this area needed in our society. The stigma around mental illness today is based from the idea's you gave about the middle ages and still have some validity in people's minds today. Stigma and mental illness is huge issue today and I believe there so much us as future Social Workers can do.
ReplyDelete- Amanda (Mental Illness Group)
Thanks for the share
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