06-19-2015, 11:32 AM
There are more crazy people around because there are fewer places to house them.
Unfortunately in the 1960's, many communities began to close down and do away with psychiatric hospitals. Advocating instead for community based treatments and pharmaceutical care, patients who used to be institutionalized and cared for now are among us instead.
I don't know if that's what cannongal might have been referring to... building more facilities and going back to institutionalization isn't really discussed much when it comes to mental health treatment. I know most of these places had terrible reputations, but I like to think we've come a long way in fifty years. I think we could do it much better now, and I think in many cases we'd all be safer for it.
As it is many very mentally ill people end up in prisons or homeless - surely a mental health facility would be a better option in either case.
Unfortunately in the 1960's, many communities began to close down and do away with psychiatric hospitals. Advocating instead for community based treatments and pharmaceutical care, patients who used to be institutionalized and cared for now are among us instead.
I don't know if that's what cannongal might have been referring to... building more facilities and going back to institutionalization isn't really discussed much when it comes to mental health treatment. I know most of these places had terrible reputations, but I like to think we've come a long way in fifty years. I think we could do it much better now, and I think in many cases we'd all be safer for it.
As it is many very mentally ill people end up in prisons or homeless - surely a mental health facility would be a better option in either case.