Chapter 2: Historical IssuesBenchmarks in Psychiatric History Confinement was the most restrictive method of coping with the mentally ill Mentally ill were thought to be immune to normal biologic stressors (cold, heat, and hunger)Asylum Can mean protection, social support, or sanctuaryPeriod of Psychotropic Drugs 1950: discovery of psychotropic drugs Hospital stays were shortened and hospital environments improved Patients treated with less restrictive environments Deinstitutionalization The depopulating of state mental hospitals During the 1950sIssues that Affect the Delivery of Psychiatric CareParadigm Shift in Psychiatric Care Public mental health hospitals lost prestige; changed its focus to the mentally ill to the worried wellHomelessness 20-25% of homeless adults have a severe mental illness Many chronically ill people end up on the streets because of their inability to succeed in a competitive society Community mental health has never been allocated the resources necessary