Mental Health Advocacy

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The history of advocacy, which means speaking for another, began with Clifford Beer and Dorothea Dix who attempted to help make mental hospitals at least cleaner and safer. According to Medilexicon’s medical dictionary, mental health is defined as the emotional, behavioral and social maturity or normality. That is, the absence of the mental or behavioral disorder is observed. To the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health means a state in which one is able to realize the abilities in him/her. It also underlines that such an individual should be able to work productively and fruitfully, thus making a contribution to his or her community. Mental illness, on the other hand, refers to a number of mental disorders that can be diagnosed by a health professional. It is not a new thing in the history of humanity. Experts say that all human beings have the potential of suffering from the mental health problems, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity or financial status.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), USA, mental disorders are common in the USA and internationally. Its statistics shows that there is approximately 57.7 million of Americans suffering from a mental disorder in a given year. The main burden of illness is concentrated in about 1 in 17 people (6%) who suffer from a serious mental illness. Experts also say that half of all people suffering from a mental disorder probably suffer from another mental disorder at the same time.

According to Smith (2011), taking care for the mentally ill individuals in the USA started in the 1840s and was pioneered by activist Dorothea Dix. It took Dix more than 40 years to be successful in persuading the government of U.S. to provide funds for putting up psychiatric hospitals in its 32 states. He argues that the institutional inpatient care, whereby numerous patients have to spend their lives in the healthcare facilities being attended by the relevant professionals, was the most effective way to take care for the mentally ill individuals. Novella (2010) observes that although institutionalization of health services made it easy for people to access the mental-related health services, there were no enough professionals to attend to them. This attracted criticism as numerous reports published gave evidence of cases in which the human rights were violated. This led to a push for deinstitutionalization and undertaking of outpatient treatment in a number of countries facilitated by the development of a variety of antipsychotic drugs (Novella, 2010). Novella (2010) adds that deinstitutionalization efforts have reflected a large global movement towards reforming the health care system to become more of a community-oriented one. The move is informed by the premise that it is by allowing the psychiatric patients live within the community that would enable them to enjoy better living standards. This thought is against the patients being confined or isolated in the large healthcare institutions.

Weber (2011) admits that the closure of the United States psychiatric health care institutions/hospitals was in line with the 1963 Act of the Community Mental Health Centers. The act limited those who would qualify for an admission into the psychiatric health institutions to those who had proved dangerous either to others or themselves. The mid 1960s saw the movement of many severely ill individuals from the psychiatric institutions to the local mental homes and other similar facilities (Interlandi, 2012). Even though the objective of deinstitutionalization of improving treatment and quality of life for the mentally ill people is not so controversial, the reality of deinstitutionalization has made it a highly polarized issue. While a number of studies have reported positive outcomes from the community-based mental health care programs, some researchers have revealed in their studies that those who live in their home together with their families, as well as those community settings also do have certain disadvantages in as far as an access to the health care services is concerned (Martinez-Leal et al, 2011).

The History of Mental Illness: The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Revolution

The colonial society of America referred to people who suffered from mental illnesses or disorders as lunatics. The term was interestingly derived from the Latin word luna that means moon. There was the belief that the full moon that could be seen while a baby was born was responsible for insanity. Colonialists declared the lunatics to be those under the possession of the devil. Thus, they were banished (Kimberly, 2000),.

According to Kimberly (2000), the individuals believed lunatics were put into two categories, namely: melancholy and mania. The researcher says that the only medical procedure centered on the idea of catharsis. Colonialists believed that in order to treat a person, it was of great necessity to undergo a cathartic medical treatment as this would either worsen or solve the situation. Such treatments entailed an individual being submerged into an ice bath to the point when they were never conscious of themselves. Even though these colonial methods of treating the mentally ill people would be seen barbaric in comparison to the today’s standards, a good number of people accepted the practices since those with the mental illnesses were not considered visible.

Around the 19th century, a new approach to the treatment, known as moral management, was introduced by Europeans (Kimberly, 2011). It followed the understanding of the key role played by the environment in the treatment process for those who suffered mental illnesses. In order to ensure that patients with mental illnesses felt at home, the conditions of their living were improved if to compare to the initially known cemented cells where patients were chained. They were admitted into institutions with such facilities as beds. This is because it was considered that more recovery would take place in the environment to which the mentally ill people were exposed. They were given the equal level of comfort like that they enjoyed at home. It is worth stressing that a different approach, known as phrenology, was introduced. It involved researching on brain’’s shape in order to explain peoples illness, as well as render a diagnosis. The other popular practice was animal magnetism. It involved focusing on the benefits of relaxation and hypnosis. However, the problem surfaced with patients who become unruly because of lack of restraints. Concern arose on how patients were supposed to occupy or spend their time. In a bid to get a solution to the challenges, there was a move to increase the interaction between the health care institutions and the society. Thus, the relevant authorities came up with a number of recreational activities, as well as work programs to enable those to in the hospitals feel at home. There was a rapid increase in the number of the asylums because of the increasing need for special institutions for the mentally ill people in the whole country.

In the 1900s when there was a population explosion in the asylums, that apparent salvation emerged; Psychotropic medication was pioneered (Kimberly, 2012). The medical community introduced an anti-psychotic drug called Thorazine for the treatment of mental illnesses. With time, different medications were invented, shortening the duration that patients would take while being attended to in the various mental institutions. The breakthrough brought about a great reduction in the populations of the asylums. It also saw the initially rampant inhumane acts being eradicated. Later, drug therapy for the mentally ill people, as well as the policies passed by both the federal and state governments in the 1960s brought about the revolution in morality. The need for respect for the human rights of those who were mentally ill was emphasized. At the same time, the treatments were geared at the individual and proved to be more effective than the group cure-alls. There was also a notable move to deinstitutionalize mental patients.

History of the Human Rights

The human rights represent those rights that individuals do enjoy based on the fact that they too are human beings, irrespective of whether they are mentally ill. The provision that all human beings are entitled to enjoy some rights was somehow new. However, its origin can be traced from the earlier traditions and documents of many cultures. It is the Second World War that propelled the human rights onto the global conscience (Shiman, 1993). In history, individuals would acquire their rights, as well as responsibilities via being a member of a group, religion, family, community, state, class, or even nationality.

According to Rayner (1999), the idea of the human rights is not universal. It is just a product of the 17th and 18th century European thought. He argues that in the17th century, the efforts of establishing frameworks upon which people would relate with one another were never based on the abstract rights. The attention then moved from social responsibilities to individual’s needs and participation. These rights were called natural rights or the rights of man. Rayner (1999) says that one of the most important battles was about politics; whether the natural rights could be handed over to rulers. This issue became a tremendous cause in the England of the17th century. The protection of people’s rights, especially the right to political participation, was the major issue of the English Revolution of 1640.

According to Philosopher John Locke’s argument, at the end of the 18th century, it was part of God’s intention for people not to be involved into the acts that would bring harm to other people in as far as their life, health, liberty or possessions are concerned. These rights could never be given up. A government’s responsibility became the duty to protect natural rights. This thinking underlay the American Colonies Declaration of Independence in 1776. It provided that the major reason for the establishment of a government by its people was to have their rights formally protected. Among these rights are right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The rights are to be enjoyed by all, including those who are mentally ill.

History of Rights of People with Disabilities

It has taken a number of centuries for the disabled people to overcome their fight against the societies biasness against them. They had to deal with issues of stereotypes and unnecessary fears because of societal discrimination. Their stigmatization saw a number of generations being socially and economically marginalized in Americans. Like many other oppressed minorities, these people were left in a severe state of poverty for many years (Switzer, 2003). In the 1800s, people with disabilities were seen as meager and pitiful people who could not positively contribute to the betterment of the society. This marginalization continued until the 1st World War when the disabled veterans were not rehabilitated by the government of the United States in appreciation of their services as they had thought. Fleischer (2001) observes that this is what compelled the US government in the 1930s to introduce much advancement in technology, as well as in government assistance, contributing to self-reliance and self-sufficiency of people with disabilities.

It was the Second World War veterans who brought to the limelight the issues that were of real concern to the disabled. After decades of complaining and lobbying, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990. It ensured the equal treatment to people, irrespective of whether a person suffers from any form of disability. The Act also gave those with disabilities a chance to enjoy equal access to the employment opportunities and public accommodations (Zames, 2001).

History of Mental Health Advocacy

Through the ages, patients with mental illnesses were subjected to torture, which included being shackled to walls of dungeons or in tanks with frozen water. The history of advocacy, speaking for another, began with Clifford Beer’s book entitled A Mind That Found Itself. Another contributor was Dorothea Dix who tried to make mental hospitals somehow cleaner.

In the 1970s, the federal government began to take notice and encouraged states to support the mentally ill through small grants. The Community Support Program (CSP) was developed within the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). It was charged with involving more people who had experienced the psychiatric services in policy making and program development. Other programs, such as the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) that aimed at protecting and advocating for people who are mentally ill, were put in practice. However, some became part of the state agencies while a few became independent, freestanding agencies.

Conclusion

Mental illness or disorder is a reality that will continue to disturb the minds of many in the society. Even with so much medical developments in trying to find a solution to mental problems, the society is yet to get it over with. Some people still believe that the condition is a result of demonic possession. However, with intensive advocacy and commitment by the governments to their welfare, the mentally ill individuals can breathe a sigh of relief since the negativities that people had on them is on the decline. Evidently, societies begin to recognize and appreciate the mentally ill individuals as human beings who have rights and deserve humane treatments.