While mental health support today is constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, the same has not always been true, however, for mental health treatments.
With mental health stigmas rapidly decreasing, accessibility to mental health services is at an all time high. Despite these trends, other issues have emerged dealing with changes in society and the rise of new social norms, with things like social media and remote working.
While these changes are rapidly occurring today, attitudes and mental health support have not always been so progressive. The past century has seen the research, knowledge, and attitudes towards mental health change significantly.
Historical Approaches to Mental Illness
Throughout history, standard approaches to mental health have been either ranged from effective to counterintutive and ineffective.
One approach to mental health problems developed thousands of years ago was trephination – a process involving the removal of a part of the skull. This was likely done in order to treat mental health problems and reduce headache pain.
In the 15th century, mental health issues were believed to be caused by demons. Hippocrates posited the idea of mental illness being physiologically affiliated, leading to the research of treatments that involve changes in living conditions, environment, and occupations.
During the 16th century, mental health was treated through bleeding, vomiting, and purging. Fast forward to the 19th and 20th century, and American mental health treatments used institutions similar to jails. Some theories regarding mental health, such as Sigmund Freud’s theories are still used today.
The 1900s also saw the implementation of interesting techniques such as induced comas and seizures, as well as the infamous lobotomy. This was a procedure that often took under five minutes, involving physical alterations to the brain. While some results were positive, many were very negative, worsening mental health problems and introducing other impairments.
Government Backed Approaches to Mental Health
One of the more influential factors changing mental health stigmas and treatment is the involvement of governments across the world. Regulatory bodies and government health departments are increasing their focus on mental health in the context of overall health.
Many governments include mental health within their advertising budgets, and spending has vastly increased in certain countries. Australia has doubled their budget from 2007 to $2.1 billion AUD in 2019.
The Misconceptions That Impact Attitudes to Mental Health
Whether it is in terms of prejudices, stereotypes or stigmas, there has historically been a negative attitude towards mental illness. These misconceptions might even be believed by people experiencing mental illness themselves.
These stigmas have a negative impact on various aspects of mental health treatment. Not only does it affect the progress that individuals make in recovering from mental health problems, but it can also reduce their willingness to explore treatment options in the first place.
Today, misconceptions and stigmas are being minimized through efforts on social media and using other digital mediums. This has helped ensure that mental illness is better understood.
Mental Health Treatments During a Pandemic
The 2020/21 pandemic has seen changes to mental health treatment on a global scale. Social distancing and isolation have increased the demand for mental health treatments. However in-person care has been reduced or in some cases eliminated.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of online services available to those looking for mental health treatment. This has helped ensure people have access to support and get the help that suits their needs.
Services such as psychologists and psychiatrists are seeing a move towards community based services (rather than those that are hospital based), which is providing a more personal approach to treatment with lower patient commitment, improved use of resources, and higher community awareness.
Recent years have seen wider ranges of specialized treatment options, that are allowing people with specific problems to get more targeted treatment. Ultimately, these developments together have proved to support each other in being effective and vastly improving overall approaches to mental health.
Looking forward, approaches to mental illness treatments are continuing to improve and become more effective. While there is still much to be understood about how mental illness affects us, the decrease in stigmas and misconceptions surrounding mental health is a productive step in the pursuit of the perfect mental health support system.