History of Mental Health and Hygiene

This course provides a historical analysis of the mental health landscape, tracing its journey from mid-19th century 'mental hygiene' to modern-day recovery approaches. You will examine early stigma, the reform efforts of figures like Dorothea Dix and Clifford Beers, and the evolution of psychiatric taxonomy under Emil Kraepelin. The curriculum explores the transition from institutionalization to deinstitutionalization, as well as the sociopolitical challenges of transinstitutionalization and the ongoing need for structured community care. By understanding these historical shifts, participants will gain perspective on contemporary mental health systems and global treatment variations.