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Asylums: the historical perspective before, during, and after
1School of History, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
The Lancet. Psychiatry
|December 22, 2019
Summary
The history of mental disorder asylums, though brief, significantly shapes modern psychiatry. This review examines asylum successes and failures to inform current mental health systems.
Area of Science:
- History of Psychiatry
- Mental Health Systems
- Institutional Care
Background:
- The perception of asylums in psychiatric history is often oversimplified into narratives of barbarity versus progress.
- Institutionalization of individuals with mental disorders has a relatively short history of approximately 150 years.
Observation:
- This review challenges the simplistic view of asylums by incorporating the perspectives of individuals who experienced institutional care.
- It analyzes the ideological underpinnings of asylum structures and changes, moving beyond purely clinical interpretations.
Findings:
- The standard narrative of asylums requires nuance, acknowledging both successes and failures.
- Inpatient care should not be dismissed outright; its historical context reveals complex factors influencing its practice.
Implications:
- An evidence-based analysis of historical asylum practices offers valuable lessons for contemporary mental health systems.
- Understanding the past can help refine current approaches to institutional and inpatient mental health care.
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