Asylum Environment

The creation of asylums allowed for these individuals to be put into an environment where they were away from society and surrounded by those who were like them. This allowed for patients to receive care and receive more attention throughout America. " Pennsylvania Hospital(PAH)- the nation 's first hospital, founded in 1751...was also the first to treat mental illnesses and became a primary force in shaping the attitude of colonial Americans"( Penn. Hospital). Colonists did not want these patients surrounding them and hospitals and asylums allowed for these patients to no longer be bothered by those who thought that they were complete maniacs. This allowed for a better environment, but at the same time other states did not want to create other asylums

By her doing this she was able to allow for the large amount of people with mental disorders to be helped as most could not be helped. She made it more accessible as before only those who could afford the help received the help, but the environment that these patients were put into turned out to be no better than the lives they lived outside. They lived like prisoners and lived in a depressing and filthy environment that only worsened their conditions."...treatment of the mentally ill was known as "Moral Management"...This approach was based on the belief that the environment played a vital role in the treatment of the mentally ill"( The History of...). This was known as the Kirkbride Plan which involved changing the environments of the asylums into a more inviting and home like living situation. Asylums would be made larger and have different sections depending on the type of patient and care that each individual needed. This would then help the patients which their disorder by allowing them to feel like a part of society would cause their state of mind to become more comfortable and less