How Women’s Mental Health Was Viewed Over History
Women’s mental health is now taken more seriously than it ever has been. If a woman is struggling with mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc., they are encouraged to seek out professional help in order to treat their conditions. But how did we get here? How has our view on the mental health of women evolved over time? Let’s dive into the history of women’s mental health in this article. After all, we can only learn from our mistakes by studying our history.
During ancient times, women who showed signs of any emotional distress were accused of practicing witchcraft or being in the presence of demons. Many women were persecuted, ostracized, and executed for feeling the wrong feelings. During the Enlightenment period, the term “hysteria” was coined, which is derived from the Greek word for “womb.” This was because it was assumed that these diseases that women faced were caused by movement of the uterus. This would only alienate women even further, as now, instead of supernatural forces being blamed, their own biology was being blamed.
Symptoms attributed to hysteria include emotional outbursts, fainting, hallucinations, insomnia, loss of muscle control, seizures, and more. If a woman was acting “hysterical,” then the treatments that were offered were sexual intercourse with their husbands, having the woman smell different smells (such as bath salts, for example), bloodletting, and even unnecessary hysterectomies. By the time the 18th century arrived, the origin of hysteria started to shift towards the nervous system instead of the reproductive organs. This means it was discovered that men and women could suffer from hysteria.
While this may be a step in the right direction, it wasn’t the end of women’s mental health being misunderstood. Controversial psychoanalysis pioneer Sigmund Freud theorized that emotional distress, in both men and women, stemmed from unresolved unconscious conflicts, which originated from their childhood. This was a precursor to understanding trauma; however, he also claimed that women’s lives revolved around repressed desires and their subconscious feelings of inferiority towards men. This implied that women were only defined by their relationships towards men, which only fueled harmful stereotypes and caused women’s psychological problems to be ignored.
In the early 20th century, more extreme methods of treating mental illness were emerging. Women that were suffering from “hysteria” during this time were subjected to electroshock therapy. Side effects from treatment include memory loss, cognitive decline and seizures. During this time, there was also a rise of a disturbing medical procedure known as the lobotomy, and nearly 60% of patients were women. If a woman exhibited signs of hysterical behavior or simply wasn’t a picture-perfect representation of femininity, having a lobotomy was suggested. On some occasions, lobotomies were not consensual. The side effects of a lobotomy include apathy, memory loss, difficulty problem-solving, epilepsy, brain infection, brain damage, and on some occasions, left one permanently disabled or even dead. These practices were clearly meant for keeping up appearances rather than actually helping women with their struggles.
In the 1960’s, it was decided that enough was enough. Women began to express their desire to address the root cause of mental health issues rather than just ignoring or masking it. More and more people were starting to become more willing to talk about the pressures that they face without having to face judgement over it. Mental health conditions began to be properly diagnosed and treated with various therapies. In 1980, “hysteria” was finally removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association. Lobotomies are now seen as deeply unethical medical malpractice and a shameful chapter in medical history and Sigmund Freud’s theories regarding women are now dismissed as pseudoscience.
Now, the proper treatment for mental health conditions is more accessible than ever. Instead of acting “hush-hush” about needing professional help, it is encouraged. We must continue to recognize the importance of taking care of our mental health and to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down if we are not perfect. Nobody is perfect, and that’s ok.
