Mental Illness In The 1930's

The 1950s was a very prevalent time in history; this was due it being seen as a time of recovery and rebuilding after World War II. However, the 1950s is also very heavily known for the surge of development within areas, such as science and mathematics or ‘STEM’, due to the Cold War. This surge did cause major discoveries to be made and advancements, such as the occurrence of the first rocket ship launch in 1950. However, with this surge an area that dearly suffered was the enforcement of medical sciences within schools due to the tracking programs. This has generally caused stigma within internal illnesses, especially mental illnesses, because of the lack of knowledge about the subject. Nevertheless, there have been multiple reasons why mental

Electroshock therapy is the process of electroshocking the brain of a human, this a process that takes multiple sessions (CBS News). ECT caused critical seizures. Doctors used this method to cure of reduce schizophrenia. Electroshock therapy was performed daily, it was known referred to as “The shock of the day” (D’Antonio). Doctors saw ECT as a easy and fast way to cure a patient.

Hippocrates was the first to recognize that mental illness was due to ‘disturbed physiology’ as opposed to ‘displeasure of the gods or evidence of demonic possession’. It was not until about one thousand years later that the first place designated for the mentally ill came to be in 15th century Spain. Before the 15th century, it was largely up to individual’s families to care for them. By the 17th century, society was ‘often housing them with handicapped people, vagrants, and delinquents. Those considered insane are increasingly treated inhumanely, often chained to walls and kept in dungeons’. There are great strides for the medical treatments for the mentally

During the 1800s, treating individuals with psychological issues was a problematic and disturbing issue. Society didn’t understand mental illness very well, so the mentally ill individuals were sent to asylums primarily to get them off the streets. Patients in asylums were usually subjected to conditions that today we would consider horrific and inhumane due to the lack of knowledge on mental illnesses.

In America, one in five adults has a mental health condition, a staggering statistic. Appreciatively, recovery is the goal in the mental health centers of 2017. Nevertheless, in the 1950s, patients were provided with inhumane treatments such as lobotomies. Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, provides an accurate portrayal of a psychiatric ward in the 1950s. The antagonist, Nurse Ratched, hopes her patients will not recover and manipulates them to gain authority. In contrast with the past, Nurses of the present day treat individuals with respect. Conduct towards mentally ill patients has changed since the 1950s in ways such as public attitude, medication, and

During the early to mid 20th century, not much was known about mental illnesses or what caused them, which was the way it had been for many years before. One of the somewhat common perceptions about mental illness was that these disorders were caused by possession or negative spirits. This can be most likely be attributed to the wide influence of the catholic church and the belief that exorcisms or psychosurgery could possibly cure incurable or intractable mental illnesses. Psychosurgery developed into the more common procedure known as a lobotomy, where the connections between the prefrontal lobe and the prefrontal cortex are cut with the intention of freeing the patient from delusions and side effects of other mental illnesses. Lobotomies began as a surgical procedure which needed to be performed in an operating room, as it required holes to be drilled through the scalp and into the skull. This meant that though the procedure was seen to show some

Electroconvulsive therapy, also known as ECT, is a medical procedure that is used in the treatment of mental illness. In ECT, a small electrical impulse is sent through the brain, resulting in an ephemeral seizure. Though the process is generally effective, modern science is unaware of the explanation behind ECT's success. Its history is filled with a large amount of stigma and the use of ECT as a therapy is still debated today. ECT has evolved to a point where its beneficial effects can be maximized and its adverse effects can be minimized through proper administration.

Prior to the actual treatment, the patient is given general anesthesia and a muscle relaxant. Electrodes are then attached to the patient's scalp and an electric current is applied which causes a brief convulsion. Minutes later, the patient awakens confused and without memory of events surrounding the treatment. This treatment is usually repeated three times a week for two to four weeks. The number of treatments varies from six to twelve. It is often recommended that the patient maintain a limited intake of medication, after the ECT treatments, to reduce the chance of relapse.

Both these treatments included burdens to the mind. ECT included putting a current through the mind and prompt an epileptic fit. This was now and then known not damage to the patient through the extreme writhing’s. ECT ended up being extremely compelling for patients enduring with sadness and still utilized as a part of extraordinarily uncommon cases today. In a report on Tone Vale Hospital by the NHS Hospital Advisory Service in 1947 it discuss how many of the staff carrying out these procedures had little training . The lobotomy included cutting the cerebrum tissue inside the frontal flaps of the mind. This had blended results and was stopped in the 50 's .

Since its beginning, the issue of the safety and efficacy of ECT has existed, and thus its use has been always remained controversial (Weiner & Krystal, 1994). Even with the modern development of ECT, some of the same issues are still prevalent. There are two sides here: the advocates that support the use of the treatment, and those who do not. This is explored next.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as electroshock therapy, is a treatment for mental illnesses that runs small electric currents through the brain, with the intention of bringing on a brief seizure. The goal is to change brain chemistry to reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. During the 1940s-50s, ECT was the most effective way of treating certain mental illnesses and was used frequently throughout many countries (Kendell, 1982). One of the main illnesses ECT is used for is depression, but it is also used for other mental illnesses, such as mania and some cases of schizophrenia. Patients undergo ECT about three times a week, totaling six to twelve sessions. This is an important topic to research because ECT is known to

The intention of this article is to leave social factors behind and determine whether or not, when done properly, ECT has any long term negative cognitive or physical effects on the patient that would overwhelm the advantages of the treatment. There have been propositions that ECT has outstanding long term effects on the heart, memory function and also that it may contribute to or cause brain damage. Also, studies suggest high rates of mortality directly caused by ECT. In the following paragraphs each hypothesis will be examined based on evidence provided by various studies within the scientific field.

MDD affects millions of people and has a profound impact on the individuals and their families. Despite its adverse effects, ECT is a safe and effective treatment for MDD. With continual improvement in ECT and increased support from nurses, its adverse effects can be minimised while improving its efficacy.

The two psychological interventions that were administered to McMurphy while in the mental institution were a lobotomy and shock therapy. A lobotomy is the removal of the portion from the frontal lobe of the brain. This procedure’s main goal is to eliminate aggressive or violent behavior. This invention took place in 1935 by Dr. Antonio Egas Moniz. However, by the late 1940s the realization those individuals undergoing lobotomy procedures took place without initiative became apparent. Although the methods of a lobotomy have changed the basic underlying idea of neurosurgery exists today in the form of “psychosurgery” (Encarta 2000). Shock Therapy uses electric current or drugs to control psychotic disorders. In 1933, Dr. Manfred Sakel used drugs and instituted insulin shock to control mainly Schizophrenia. In 1938, Drs. U. Cerletti and L. Bini used electroshock therapy to treat severe depression (i.e. manic depressive psychoses). Alternating current through the brain using parallel

Several studies assume that the nurses have negative attitude toward ECT because of lack of knowledge, lack of adequate nursing training in the convulsive therapies, lack of specific curriculum, some misconception, and the impact of lay media and movies which influence the nurses' perception toward the understanding of ECT as a somatic therapy.