Lecture Notes: Treatment in Mental Health

Introduction

• Discussion on the history and evolution of mental health treatment.
• Shift in language from 'mental illness' to 'mental health' indicating a more positive approach.

Historical Perspective

Spiritual and Supernatural Explanations

• Early mental health issues were perceived through a spiritual lens (e.g., witchcraft, demon possession).
• Treatments included exorcism and trephining (drilling a hole in the skull to release spirits).

Asylums

• Individuals considered 'crazy' were placed in asylums, intended as places of safety but often inhumane.
• Poor conditions: shackling, underfeeding, poor sanitation.

Reform in Mental Health Care

Early Reforms

• Philippe Pinel: Early reformer in France advocating for humane treatment.
• Dorothea Dix: Led mental health care reform in the U.S., advocating for better care and respect.

20th Century Innovations

• Emergence of scientific understanding and biological explanations for mental health conditions.
• Introduction of antipsychotic medications around 1954, revolutionizing treatment for conditions like schizophrenia.
• Side effects of medications were a significant challenge.

Deinstitutionalization Movement

• 1960s-70s movement to close large asylums and reintegrate individuals into the community.
• Resulted in increased homelessness among severe mental health sufferers due to lack of adequate support systems.

Modern Mental Health Treatment

Psychiatric Hospitals

• Focused on treating severe cases (psychosis, suicidal ideation).
• Admissions can be voluntary or involuntary (in cases of imminent danger to self/others).
• Aim for holistic care: safety, nutrition, sleep, stabilization.

Current Trends

• Increasing rates of diagnostic symptoms reported without formal diagnoses.
• Rise in substance use and comorbid mood and anxiety disorders, indicating a significant need for mental health treatment.