Posted by stjames on April 22, 2001, at 1:49:42
In reply to Re: Another Question, posted by mikes on April 18, 2001, at 13:55:54
> That's strange, I had previously believed that opium was used as long as a century ago to treat depression. Cocaine extracts may have been used also.
>
> St. John's Wort has been in use for many, many years in Europe.James here,
Correct, all these were used. My list was not intended to be all inclusive. Before the 1950's and the advent of antipsychotics most all the schizophrenics and many bi-polars were in institutions most of their life. In some cases the care was good. People with really significant mental illness need structure and systems that helped them cope, a good institution could provide this. And then Thorizine was invented.
Thorizine made the insane sane (the schizophrenics) and emptied the institutions.
People who could not care for themselves could now. Patients who were withdrawn or lost in a unreal world came back and started to function. The history of antipsychotics contains an irony. I love irony, it points out the true complexity of all things. A large rise in the homeless coincided with the exodus from the mental institutions. There was no way to make sure the really crazy took their meds so they became homeless. Those with family did better, generally. Someone was there to make sure they took the meds; there is no doubt the quality of their life was drastically improved by meds. No more annoying thought projection and everybody was not out the get them (with a 999 part plan).James
poster:stjames
thread:5711
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010417/msgs/5757.html