In 1900 Clifford Whittingham Beers (1876 – 1943) was confined to a private asylum in the United States, diagnosed with depression and paranoia and having attempted suicide by jumping out of a window (Burch, 2009; Noll, 2007). He had two more admissions for similar reasons, one to another private establishment, and one to a state run facility. During these admissions he experienced and witnessed serious maltreatment at the hands of asylum staff (Beers, 1908; Friedman, 2002; Noll, 2007). As a result he published an account of his experiences (Albrecht, 2006; Burch, 2009; Colp, 2000; Friedman, 2002; Noll, 2007; Oyebode, 2009; Shorter, 2005), A Mind That Found Itself (1908), and in 1909 he founded the National Committee for Mental Hygiene (Colp, 2000; Dain, 1989; Shorter, 2005), now named Mental Health America, in order to continue the reform for the treatment of the mentally ill (Albrecht, 2006).
Photographic portrait of a young Clifford Beers
References:
Albrecht, G.L. (Ed.) (2006). Encyclopedia of disability. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.
Beers, C.W. (1908). A mind that found itself. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11962
Burch, S. (Ed.) (2009). Encyclopedia of American disability history. New York, NY: Facts on File Inc.
Colp, R. (2000). History of psychiatry. In Sadock, B.J., & Sadock, V.A. (Eds), Comprehensive textbook of psychiatry. (7th edition). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Dain, N. (1989). Critics and dissenters: Reflections on "anti-psychiatry" in the United States. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences 25, 3-25.
Friedman, M.B. (2002). Clifford Beers: The origins of modern mental health policy. Retrieved from http://www.mhawestchester.org/advocates/beers802.asp
Noll, R. (2007). The encyclopedia of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. (3rd edition). New York, NY: Facts on File Inc.
Oyebode, F. (Ed.) (2009). Mindreadings: Literature and psychiatry. London, England: RCPsych Publications.
Shorter, E. (2005). A historical dictionary of psychiatry. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Albrecht, G.L. (Ed.) (2006). Encyclopedia of disability. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.
Beers, C.W. (1908). A mind that found itself. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11962
Burch, S. (Ed.) (2009). Encyclopedia of American disability history. New York, NY: Facts on File Inc.
Colp, R. (2000). History of psychiatry. In Sadock, B.J., & Sadock, V.A. (Eds), Comprehensive textbook of psychiatry. (7th edition). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Dain, N. (1989). Critics and dissenters: Reflections on "anti-psychiatry" in the United States. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences 25, 3-25.
Friedman, M.B. (2002). Clifford Beers: The origins of modern mental health policy. Retrieved from http://www.mhawestchester.org/advocates/beers802.asp
Noll, R. (2007). The encyclopedia of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. (3rd edition). New York, NY: Facts on File Inc.
Oyebode, F. (Ed.) (2009). Mindreadings: Literature and psychiatry. London, England: RCPsych Publications.
Shorter, E. (2005). A historical dictionary of psychiatry. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
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