Are Mental Asylums a Refuge or a Pitfall for the Patients - Research Paper Example

? Are Mental Asylums a Refuge or a Pitfall for the patients? Are Mental Asylums a Refuge or a Pitfall for the Patients? “It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane.” (Dick, 1991) Human madness is a relative term. For some it means eccentricity, excitement and for some madness is synonymous to genius. But for many it is a disease. To cure this disease, or so it is claimed, there are institutes that are now known as mental asylums. Over the years many debates and arguments have been raised to settle the controversy which keeps on revolving around mental asylums in the world as to whether these asylums are safe for the people or just another hazard for the. It is a question as to whether these asylums are actually beneficial for the treatment of the patients or not. A mental asylum is a place for people who lose the capacity to differentiate between right and wrong. Many people view this place as a secure place for their loved ones as they are under observation constantly. It is a heart wrecking decision for those whose parents, children and siblings are sent to the asylums. This whole process became more prominent in the nineteenth century. Many people became aware of the cons of keeping an “unfit” person at home. Naturally, it was shattering for many to send their loved ones to be looked after by complete strangers. But the society kept on forcing such families to send them to the asylums because it was argued that the patients would be much more secure in the asylums and this was for the betterment of the family as well. These asylums were a totally different world but were regarded as self-sufficient for the patients. The patients were taught to look after themselves, wash their own clothes, stitch clothes, wash dishes and were taught other chores like these. But there were other patients too who were totally alienated from these activities because they were “mad and dangerous”. They were locked up in rooms with no windows and there was only a door that was supposed to be the only connection between ‘the sane and insane world’ (Seiner, 2010). Many movies were made to depict the condition and treatment of the mental asylums. Two of the more symbolic movies depicting this state are ‘Jane Eyre” and “House on Haunted Hill”. These asylums, also known as the insane asylums at that time were also used for other purposes. When a woman used to raise her opinion in front of her husband, she was regarded as disobedient and was sent to this place to ‘learn some manners’. Similarly, when a child did not turn out as was expected from him, he was sent to the insane asylum to learn some manners or to be “Cured” (Sansone, 2009). But gradually when people started to talk about the hideous treatment of locking away the dangerous patients, who needed more care and tolerance, mental asylums began to take more care of the patients. But the point under discussion is that whether they did this for the repute of their own hospitals or did they actually start to take care of the patients. The subject of ‘mental illness’ was not much researched upon. Velma Dinkley in her article, “Mental Health and the Lunatic Asylums” (2009) writes, “In ancient times, the afflicted were seen as being possessed by the Gods, evil spirits or the devil, as a punishment for their sinful ways.” In these times, the mentally unstable people were pushed to such an extent where they ultimately committed suicide. Seeing the hideous conditions of the asylums at that time, many writers and critics thought that death was a better option. The attendants used to beat the patients; they were not given food and medication at time. Sometimes the patients just kept on screaming and fighting with each other but the staff was least moved (Dinkley, 2009). But gradually when people became more open minded and more scientific discoveries invaded the era, things began to change. It was still difficult for the people to accept this norm but a change definitely occurred. The animalistic attitude of the staff at asylums became more humane. Tammy Stoner in his article, “Pros and Cons of Forcing mental health Treatment on a Patient” (2007) writes, “The 1950's brought about significant changes in psychiatric treatment with the introduction of Thorazine, the first anti-psychotic medication. Hospital wards, once filled with screams from ill patients, became quiet places, and less people died in care.” (Stoner, 2007). As there are always two sides of the coin, same is the case with the controversy of mental asylums. Where many people are against this procedure, there have been many successful stories as well. On September 14 1864, a twelve year old named girl Elizabeth Clafton was admitted in an insane asylum in Dewsbury. She was violent, tore her clothes, bit herself and had to be chained so that she could not attack others. Within a year due to regular therapies, constant invigilation of the doctors and medication she turned in to a completely different girl. She herself told the staff that she would like to carry on with her therapy because it made her feel better. She used to talk about her problems and also about her future. The environment was such that she could openly talk with the psychiatrists. Finally, she was discharged from the hospital in 1868 when she found herself a good job (Seiner, 2010). After listening to such success stories, it is argued that asylums can prove to be beneficial. But opponents argue that it cannot be judged as to whether a person has really turned sane or he has learnt to hide his madness. As Herman Melville writes, “Human madness is oftentimes a cunning and most feline thing. When you think it fled, it may have but become transfigured into some still subtler form.” (Melville 1851). On the other hand, a known psychiatrist, Thomas Szasz, says that mental asylums are no more than prisons, “Psychiatric hospitals are like prisons, not hospitals, and that psychiatrist who subject others to coercion function as judges and jailers not physicians.” (Szasz 1984) The negativities of the mental asylums are true to some extent. Many psychiatrists, nowadays, instead of befriending their patients and understanding them are more concerned with their fees. Therefore, they try to coerce their patients in to something that is more dangerous than a pitfall. This is one of the reasons that people now shudder to the bones even if they hear the name of a mental asylum. Szasz also wrote in his book The Myth Of Mental Illness (1961) that it is not his intention to present a new concept of “psychiatric illness” or some new therapy treatment to control it. His aim is not something unattainable, just a bit more ambitious. He only requires that the concept of mental illness be looked at in a different light as compared to the past. He wants this illness not to be categorized as an “illness,” but rather “the expressions of man’s struggle with the problem of how he should live.” It is more of an internal mental conflict rather than a proper illness. Although this conflict is serious and encompasses the inability of man to relate and adapt to his surroundings in general and the society in particular, every single person experiences that at different levels, to a different degree. The problem is essentially big also because of the “increasing self-reflectiveness.” (Szasz, 1984). Erving Goffman was a known sociologist and author and he said that “the asylums are in the same category as concentration camps, prisons, military organizations, orphanages, and monasteries”. This is also quite true. In orphanages or camps or organizations, people are given refuge but no one really cares. It is as if they have been kept in a corner because there was extra space. Therefore, Goffman is right in comparing an asylum to these places. In such organizations, patients become more alienated and more depressed (Weinstein, 1982). Franco Basagia, an Italian psychiatrist also said in reference to the mental institutes that they are repressive, inaccessible and institution-like just like prisons. Like in a prison, a certain set of rules are applied and followed, similar is the case with asylums. And hence, doctors, nurses and patients are all institutionalized in their actions and routine as is applied to their individual designation. To sum it up, more people are inclined towards the idea that mental asylums are not secure. Patients instead of becoming well, turn more depressed, miserable and many a times more violent. Sometimes the conditions of these asylums remain a secret to everyone and the family of the patient keeps on thinking that he will get better. Sometimes a person may even not be ‘mad’ but the conditions of the asylums may turn him in to a crazy person (Tansella, 1986). Nowadays much research has been done on these conditions and the treatment of the patients. Naturally they are given drugs and so it is sometimes impossible to tell that whether the patient is getting better or he is under the effect of the drugs. It is better to take a mentally unstable patient to a good and renowned psychiatrist. Therapy sessions help a lot and are very effective when it comes to psychiatric issues. One should not be concerned with what others think about an individual seeking counseling. There are many advantages of it. First, the environment is quite ideal. The patient is the only one in the room and so they do not feel embarrassed. Moreover through these sessions it can be diagnosed that whether the person is ‘mad’ or ‘depressed’ or just passive. However, when different success stories of the asylums are considered, the benefit of these asylums cannot be denied. For diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, where a person starts to lose his memory, these institutes are important. It is one of those diseases which have no cure at all. Towards the end these patients are a threat, not only to others, but also to themselves. But even then, many families do not transfer the patient to an asylum (Blechner, 2007). The conditions of these asylums should be improved and government should take appropriate steps for this to happen. People should offer more funds so that they can be made more comfortable and provided better treatment. The tightly locked rooms, with no windows, small doors, crack on the walls and intolerable stench is not an answer when it comes to curing the mentally unstable people. If this will happen, maybe people will not try to accept the reality of the asylums and will be reluctant to send the patients over here. But still, the subject of mental asylums is such that it will remain an enigma forever. It might be that the people who got better had more strong wills. But in the past, the conditions of asylums have always been terrible and many cases like patients killing themselves have come forth. To prevent these accidents, the conditions of the asylums should be improved. References Blechner, M. J. (January 01, 2007). Approaches to Panic Attacks. Neuropsychoanalysis Madison-, 9, 1, 91-100. Dick, P. K. (1991). Valis. New York: Vintage Books. Dinkley, V. (2009). Mental health and the lunatic asylums. Family Tree Forum, 3. Retrieved from: http://ftfmagazine.lewcock.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=156:mental-health-and-the-lunatic-asylums&catid=43:january-2009 Melville, H. (1851). Moby Dick. New York: Harper and Brothers. Sansone, T. (2009, December 11). Women and the insane asylum. Tennessee Genealogical Society. Retrieved from: http://www.tngs.org/library/asylum.htm Seiner, L. (2010, February 20). Insane Asylums. Booksie. Retrieved from: http://www.booksie.com/non-fiction/essay/leiary_seiner/insane-asylums Stoner, T. (2007, May 19). Pros and cons of forcing mental health treatment on a patient. Helium. Retrieved from: http://www.helium.com/items/344258-pros-and-cons-of-forcing-mental-health-treatment-on-a-patient Szasz, T. (1984). The myth of mental illness: Foundations of a theory of personal conduct. New York: Harper & Row. Tansella, M. (January 01, 1986). Community psychiatry without mental hospitals--the Italian experience: a review. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 79, 11, 664-9. Weinstein, R. (1982). Goffman's asylums and the social condition of mental patients. Orthomolecular Psychiatry. 11, 4, 267-274. Read More