In the 1800s people were often put into asylums under unfair pretenses. Doctors and nurses knew a lot less about medicine, thus causing people to be misdiagnosed and admitted. Anyone living during that time period that had anything different about them, anything that would make them stand out would lead to them being outcast and put in an institution. Things thought to be different in that time such as depression, alcoholism, if a women was going through menopause, or even if someone stood up for something that was against what was considered "normal" they would have been considered "ill" and would be institutionalized.
This is a list of Reasons for Admittance to West Virginia's Hospital for the Insane.
Many of these reasons are completely normal things in modern society but back then could get you institutionalized. Some of the strangest reasons to be admitted include:
-Jealousy
-Religion
-Laziness
-Religious Enthusiasm
-Bad Habits
-Death of sons in war
-Desertion of husband
-Domestic trouble
-Fever
-Woman trouble
-Superstition
-Greediness
-Grief
-Gunshot wound
The many reasons someone could be institutionalized led to the overcrowding of the mental hospitals and therefore what led to the mistreatment of the patients. These reasons all are human rights and being institutionalized violates these rights. The doctors who work at these institutions have a responsibility to the people to help them get better and yet they disregard that responsibility and proceed to take away the patients remaining rights by stuffing them in an overcrowded facility, not giving them enough food, and making them go through procedures as if they were a science project.
Many of these reasons are completely normal things in modern society but back then could get you institutionalized. Some of the strangest reasons to be admitted include:
-Jealousy
-Religion
-Laziness
-Religious Enthusiasm
-Bad Habits
-Death of sons in war
-Desertion of husband
-Domestic trouble
-Fever
-Woman trouble
-Superstition
-Greediness
-Grief
-Gunshot wound
The many reasons someone could be institutionalized led to the overcrowding of the mental hospitals and therefore what led to the mistreatment of the patients. These reasons all are human rights and being institutionalized violates these rights. The doctors who work at these institutions have a responsibility to the people to help them get better and yet they disregard that responsibility and proceed to take away the patients remaining rights by stuffing them in an overcrowded facility, not giving them enough food, and making them go through procedures as if they were a science project.