[The place of the patient or the misfortune of the institution]

Changes in psychiatric practices derive from noticeable revision of conceptual framework and from the presence of different resources available to treat mental health problems. After an absolute priority given to the psychiatric hospital which in hand of an able doctor like Esquirol was certainly a splendid instrument of care, has followed the "Sector concept" (catchment area) which ideally insists on preventive and therapeutic measures directed toward the sick or presumably sick individual. But such evolutions are seldom linear and vicious genius tends to slow if not to reverse the process. The author retraces here the evolution of a psychiatric care system managed by himself for 25 years. Originally created by Sivadon in the context of relative freedom due to appurtenance to the private sector, this experience has been developed through addition of a variety of therapeutic structures to end up with a comprehensive System of social psychiatric deserving a catchment area. The author gives us his insights on the slowly made modifications to the functioning of this structure. He confirms the value of the catchment area framework but in the same time underlines his risks.