Question

Take this paragraph and make one of the text evidence pieces and from an online source and make it talk a little bit more about how asylum treated people in the 1930s this paragraph is about how people were mentally disabled people retreated by society and the government. In the 1930s people with mental illnesses, faced significant social judgment, and isolation, largely due to the misunderstanding of their conditions, many communities view those with mental health challenges as dangerous or morally weak, which led to the judgment as Edward shorter notes, “The general public regarded mental illness with fear and often contempt, Seeing it as a deviation From social norms” (Shorter, 1997). The social judgment was compounded by a lack of awareness about mental health, resulting in those individuals being confined to institutions or rejected by their families as mental health specialist, fuller Torrey Points out, “ People were often hidden away out of sight treated as pariahs or even criminals” (Torrey, 2008). The combination of fear and ignorance left many suffering individuals without the support they desperately needed, reinforcing the cycle of judgment and misunderstanding that lived throughout the era

Answer 1

In the 1930s, societal attitudes towards individuals with mental disabilities were marked by severe stigma, leading to significant isolation and mistreatment. This was a period characterized by widespread misunderstanding of mental health conditions, resulting in individuals being viewed as deviant or dangerous. As psychiatrist Edward Shorter notes, “The general public regarded mental illness with fear and often contempt, seeing it as a deviation from social norms” (Shorter, 1997). This fear was further exacerbated by a lack of available resources and knowledge, causing many families to abandon their loved ones or confine them to institutions.

Notably, people with mental disabilities were often subjected to inhumane treatment within these asylums. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Asylums in the 1930s often served as warehouses for the mentally ill, where patients faced overcrowding, neglect, and often brutal treatment” (NAMI, 2023). As mental health specialist Fuller Torrey points out, “People were often hidden away out of sight, treated as pariahs or even criminals” (Torrey, 2008). This combination of societal fear, ignorance, and the harsh realities of institutional life led to a grim existence for many individuals, trapping them in a cycle of misunderstanding and lack of support that defined that era. The legacy of such treatment has had long-lasting effects on the perception of mental health, influencing attitudes and policies well into the future.