Do you know what a madhouse is? Understand and join this fight!

What is an Asylum?

The word Asylum in Portuguese is translated as “manicomio” and it derives from the terms “mania” and “treat”, literally meaning “place of care for the insane” or “place of treatment for those suffering from madness”. In the past, this word was used to describe institutions where people with mental disorders were confined with the intention of being treated. Terms such as “hospice” were also used to refer to places that took in people in need, including those with mental illnesses.

The Dark History of Asylums

When we, human beings, create something, we always do it with the intention of generating progress in society. This objective often ends up being distorted and misused. This was also the case with mental hospitals, which did not appear with the intention of being a negative environment. On the contrary, they emerged seeking to serve as the popular nursing homes, so common to treat other pathologies in certain cities, especially those considered to have good air and favor the restoration of general health, located in most cases in mountains. In this context, the emergence of such a solution for mental health was natural. However, as if we were in a Machado tale, the solution became a problem. Doctors Simões Bacamartes of the 20th century never realized that they were crazy about admitting any type of person. Not a hint of distrust appeared in their consciousness. They simply continued to admit more people than the institutions would be able to accommodate, people without clinical criteria and sometimes without signs of mental health problems, these patients had just bothered some powerful person or their family members, who preferred to say that they had a sick family member rather than recognize the dishonor of some socially inappropriate conduct.

Over time, unfortunately, institutions known as ¨¨manicomios¨ at Brazil, mental hospitals, have become synonymous with inhumane conditions and cruel treatment. For centuries, especially before the 21st century, people interned in these places were subjected to treatment methods that today are considered torture. Conditions in these institutions were deplorable: overcrowding, poor hygiene and a lack of basic care were the norm. Patients were often restrained with straitjackets, chains and kept in barred cells, like prisoners.

“Treatment” methods included brutal techniques such as anesthesia-free shock therapy, lobotomies, and other invasive surgeries that left patients with permanent damage. Furthermore, practices such as bloodletting and cold baths were common. These interventions were not aimed at a cure, but rather at controlling and containing symptoms, often exacerbating the suffering of those hospitalized.

Society at the time saw people in asylums as dangerous and irrecoverable subjects. This stigma resulted in social isolation and abandonment, both by families and the community. Institutions became places of physical, psychological and sexual abuse, where inmates were treated as less than human, without rights or dignity.

The Fight for Change

After World War II, perceptions about the treatment of people with mental disorders began to change. War veterans have returned with serious psychological disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and this has brought to light the need for more humane and effective treatment methods. Mental health professionals and activists began to question the inhumane methods used in asylums, and psychiatric reform movements gained strength.

The anti-asylum struggle is a social and political movement that emerged to combat the traditional model of treatment based on hospitalization in asylums and psychiatric hospitals. This movement advocates the reform of mental health services, promoting more humanized and inclusive alternatives. Deinstitutionalization, which proposes replacing mental hospitals with a network of community care, has become one of the pillars of this movement.

Psychiatric Reform in Brazil

In Brazil, the anti-asylum struggle began to gain strength in the 1980s, during the country’s redemocratization process. Inspired by psychiatric reform movements in other countries, Brazil initiated a series of changes aimed at humanizing psychiatric treatment. In 2001, Law No. 10,216 was approved, which regulates the rights of people with mental disorders and promotes deinstitutionalization. This law was a milestone in Brazilian psychiatric reform, encouraging the creation of Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS), which offer community and interdisciplinary care, avoiding prolonged hospitalization.

CAPS are mental health units that provide daily care for people with severe and persistent mental disorders. They promote the social reintegration of patients, offering therapeutic activities, medical and psychological support, as well as support for families. The creation of these units was a major advance in the fight for more humane and dignified treatment.

Therapeutic Companions

A fundamental aspect of psychiatric reform and mental health services is therapeutic companionship. This service involves the continuous presence of a mental health professional who accompanies the patient in their daily activities, both inside and outside the health units. The objective is to promote the individual’s autonomy and social integration, offering personalized support adapted to their specific needs. Therapeutic monitoring is an effective strategy to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, strengthen the patient’s social support network and ensure that they can live more independently and with dignity.

Current Challenges

Despite significant advances, the anti-asylum fight faces many challenges. Society still carries considerable stigma regarding mental disorders, which makes it difficult for these people to fully include themselves in the community. Furthermore, there is a constant need for more resources and training for mental health professionals. Public policies need to guarantee adequate funding and continuity in the services offered by CAPS and other community care units.

Another challenge is the resistance of some rigid cultures and sectors of society, which still see people with mental disorders as dangerous or irrecoverable. The anti-asylum fight also faces financial interests from institutions that profit from the maintenance of asylums and the pharmaceutical market, which often prioritizes medication over holistic and humanized treatment.

The Role of Society and Health Professionals

The support of health professionals, politicians and society in general is crucial to the success of psychiatric reform. It is necessary to raise awareness about the importance of treating people with mental disorders with dignity and respect. Health professionals need to be trained to offer humanized and effective care, while public policies must guarantee the sustainability of community mental health services.

Join the Anti-Asylum Fight

It is crucial to support the anti-asylum fight to ensure that all people with mental disorders receive dignified and humanized care. Participating in this cause means fighting for a more just and inclusive society, where everyone has the opportunity to live with dignity and respect.

Conclusion

The anti-asylum fight is vital to ensure that people with mental disorders have access to adequate care, which promotes their social reintegration and respects their human rights. It is an ongoing battle that seeks to transform the way society views and treats people with mental disorders. Supporting this cause is essential to building a more human and inclusive future.