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Mysteries of Mental Illness
Experimental Treatments and the Rise of Eugenics
By the early 20th century, mental asylums had become extremely overcrowded, and very little was known about how to treat these patients. Out of view from the public eye, desperate doctors experimented with new treatments. When treatments failed, patients were labeled biologically defective, fueling the Eugenics program, and the involuntary sterilization of thousands of patients.
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Today, with cutting-edge treatments for mental illness, the biggest battle is inclusion.
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The fascinating story behind the rise and fall of the mental asylum in the United States.
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Science and societal factors shape ever-shifting definitions of mental health and illness.
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Treatment of mental illness over history has been trial and error.