Ten Days in A Mad-House: Historical Perspective

In 1773, the first asylum exclusively for individuals experiencing mental illness was established in Williamsburg, Virginia. The asylum was designed to confine those wandering around and terrifying others (Hatfield & Lefly, 1987). This provided a “means to preserve order and maintain control over disruptive elements in society” (Greenly, 1990, p. 25). By 1825, eight asylums in the United States were established to house the “insane”.

Around 1840, Dorothea Dx, the fiery social reformer, witnessed the abominable conditions in asylums where individuals with mental illness were viewed merely as animals: “They were confined without much hope of release. Because they were thought not to be controllable rationally, they ere often chained or locked up. Because they were like beasts they wee considered able to withstand, without special clothing, the extremes of heat and cold, like cattle or wild animals. Because they were seen as not having human sentiments, they ere not thought to experience shame at being seen naked, or feel emotionally hurt when teamed or taunted. As a result, they were sometimes placed naked in cages like wild animals as entertainment to a paying public. (as cited in Greeley, 1990, pp. 28-29)

I just read Ten Days in A Mad-house by Nellie Bly: a first-hand account of life at Bellevue Hospital on Blackwell’s Island in 1887. Nellie Bly was an American Journalist who was encouraged by Joseph Pulitzer to do an undercover story of the conditions at Blackwell Island insane asylum. It is a quick read and pulls you into the time, environment and experiences as she takes this journey. She states, “The insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island is a human rat-trap. It is easy to get in, but once there it is impossible to get out.”

National Alliance on Mental Illness currently reports:
1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
1 in 25 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34