week two over view

Elizabeth Packard

1. Institutionalized in 1860 by her husband for her independent religious views.

2. At the time, Illinois law allowed husbands to commit their wives without evidence of mental illness

3. Advocated for her release, eventually securing a trial.

4. Declared sane by a jury after only seven minutes of deliberation

Packard’s story reflects Davis’s “tyranny of the norm,” where deviations from social norms are pathologized and punished

Leonard Roy Frank

1. Institutionalized for his spiritual awakening, spiritual practices and vegetarianism.
2. Endured over 50 electroshock treatments and insulin shock therapy

3. Became a leading figure in the anti-psychiatry movement.
4. Critiqued psychiatric practices like forced hospitalization and electroshock therapy

Frank’s story illustrates Hacking’s looping kinds, where the label of “madness” shaped his experiences and resistance

Bradley Lewis

Lewis's work critically analyzes the Mad Pride movement's challenge to psychiatric norms and their advocacy for a broader understanding of mental health that incorporates social, political, and historical contexts beyond biomedical interpretations.

Core Critiques of Psychiatry 

Biological Focus Limitations

Critique of Chemical Imbalance

Pathologization of Non-Conformity

Mad Pride

Mad Pride movement began in the 1970s

Mad Pride activists gained momentum from
○ black civil rights movement
○ women’s movement
○ early lesbian and gay movement
○ disability movement

“They affectionately call themselves “Mad Pride” because they believe mainstream psychiatry over exaggerates psychic pathology and over enforces psychic conformity in the guise of diagnostic labeling and treatment.”

• Reclamation of Identity

• Social Context of Mental Health

• Advocacy for Autonomy

Peter Beresford

Project Summary: 

Beresford emphasizes the importance of integrating the lived experiences of individuals labeled as mad into mental health discourse, advocating for their voices to shape policies and practices that affect their lives.

Mental distress is shaped by systemic factors like poverty and discrimination.
● Advocates for a social model of mental distress, focusing on societal barriers rather than individual pathology.
● Emphasizes alliances between Mad Studies, disability rights, and other social justice movements.
● Challenges Eurocentric biases within Mad Studies to create more inclusive frameworks.

Current Challenges Facing Mad Pride and
Anti-Psychiatry

• Institutional Resistance

• Movement Fragmentation

• Underrepresentation of Voices

Global Perspectives on Mental Health and Psychiatry 

Cultural Influences on Diagnosis Diverse: cultural contexts shape diagnostic criteria, with non-Western perspectives often emphasizing holistic approaches that integrate social, spiritual, and community factors into understanding mental health issues

Treatment Modalities Variability: Global treatment practices vary significantly, with Western models focusing on pharmacological solutions, while many non-Western cultures prioritize community involvement and culturally relevant healing practices for mental health support.