Collegiate Times

Place yourself in the early 18th century with no cars, electricity or Internet.

Imagine a little boy growing up, playing with his brothers and sisters and assorted neighborhood children. As he gets older, his parents start noticing strange behavior that they didn't notice in their other children. He is very anxious and often worries about things that seem unimportant to everyone else. He begins picking fights with his older siblings and is convinced they are out to get him. By the time he is in his late teens, his behavior is almost out of control. He complains about hearing voices and feels worthless and powerless. After several run-ins with the local police, he gets thrown into jail, which only increases his aggressive behavior. Finding him difficult for prison guards to handle, a judge assigns him to a state "moral correction facility" where he will have a chance to learn the expectations and values of society. Once in this institution, he is set aside and deemed unfit to actively engage in normal society along with others who act similarly to him.

Unfortunately, this man was not alone in the isolation of such an elementary system.

Mental institutions have had a dark and eerie past in American history. Beginning in the eighteenth century, the idea of confining the mentally ill in "hospitals" seemed like an acceptable way to isolate people with severe mental disorders. These "moral" institutions were designed to contain patients that could not be held in a normal jail. Mental patients would be chained or otherwise contained in rooms that were overcrowded and unsanitary. There were several theories as to why people were deemed mentally insane at this point in time, but most theories believed that physical punishment was the best option in disciplining patients.  

As time trickles by, new ideas that focus on an individual's mental health emerge. Mental institutions concentrate on the patients' well-being and create clean and comfortable environments for them to live in. New medication is enabling people to leave institutions earlier and live independently. New research and counseling methods teach patients better coping strategies so they can regain control over their lives.

However, even though there have been a lot of improvements from the 18th century, there are still negative stereotypes surrounding mental health.

The history of mental illness and institutions offer a good explanation of how mental health gets stigmatized. Stigma refers to negative attitudes and beliefs that result in fear, avoidance and judgment of people with mental illnesses. Because of the stigma, those with mental disorders might be subject to a lack of confidence, isolation and a feeling of being powerless. Someone who experiences these emotions may even avoid seeking treatment.

Kathie Snow summed up the idea of battling the stigma perfectly in her article titled "A New Way of Thinking." She writes: "We do not need to change people with disabilities! We need to change ourselves and how we think about disability. When we think differently, we'll talk differently. When we think and talk differently, we'll act differently. When we act differently we'll be creating change in ourselves and our communities. In the process, the lives of people with disabilities will be changed, as well."

To read her entire article or learn more about stigma and mental health go to www.disabilityisnatural.com. Active Minds is also focusing on removing stigma during Mental Health Week starting Oct. 5.

Candace Lohr & Danielle Kane
-Lohr is the president of Active Minds at Virginia Tech