Mental illness afflicts one in four Americans. Mental illness varies greatly from person to person. The mental illness spectrum includes many illnesses including depression and anxiety, as well as some more serious illnesses such as Down syndrome. All mental illnesses play a role in how this person will function in society. These individuals have unique needs and individual strengths that need to be assessed for appropriate care. The early history of mental illness is bleak. The belief that anyone with a mental illness was possessed by a demon or that the family had been given a spiritual was the reason behind the horrible treatment of people with mental illnesses. These individuals were placed in unsanitary institutions and were typically kept in dark, cave-like rooms, away from people in the outside world. The institutions were not just dark and crude; they also used inhumane forms of treatment on their patients. Kimberly Leupo, discusses some of the practices used, including different types of electroshock, subjecting patients to ice baths, and many other horrific events (Leupo). Lobotomies, which are surgical procedures that cut and scrape different connections in the brain, were a very common practice. They were thought to help treat mental illnesses, but often ended up causing more harm than good. Dorthea Dix, a well-known name in the field of psychology, contributed significantly to improving the quality of life of those in institutions. She was a volunteer at a hospital during the Civil War and became aware of the horrendous treatment of patients. The realization that people were better off when they were in their own environment, rather than in a mental institution, was a major turning point in... ... middle of paper ... just the disease as a whole. There are also issues relating to the breadth of the spectrum of mental illness. With every new idea in the mental health field comes a hope that someone will find a treatment. Works Cited Harrison, Erica. “Homelessness Among the Severely Mentally Ill: What We Can Do to Help.” Clarityhumanservices.com. Np, March 5, 2013. Web. November 13, 2013. Leupo, Kimberly. "The History of Mental Illness." The history of mental illness. Np, nd Web. November 13, 2013. Pollack, Harold. “What Happened to Mental Health Care in the United States After Deinstitutionalization.” Washingtonpost.com. Np, June 12, 2013. Web. November 13, 2013. Reed, Samantha. “How We Got Here: The Story of Deinstitutionalization.” Roosevelt Institute. NP, July 23, 2010. Web. November 13, 2013. “Reform of America's Mental Health System Is Needed.” Political news. Np, 7 September 2013. Web. 13 November. 2013.