The Rest Cure And The “ Yellow wallpaper” What is anxiety and why do we experience it? What are things like postpartum depression and psychosis? In the 1800’s mental illnesses such as these were perceived differently than they are now. Written in 1892 The “Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman having had experiences of her own with the rest cure writes about a character suffering from depression and hysteria. Gilman is able to illustrate throughout the short story the ineffectiveness of this treatment developed by Weir Mitchell. Regardless of this treatment protocol the protagonist slowly declines into an agitated state of mind and confuses reality with the women in the wallpaper an example of the “rest cure’s” inadequacy. …show more content…
Notably, the treatment was popular in the late 1800’s. The patient’s are isolated from friends and family lasting up to 6-8 weeks. The treatment could have been considered inhumane due to the lack of compassion during the treatment process.Patients were not aloud to talk, write or even read. Additionally, the patients were forced to stay in bed and eat a fatty, rich diet, those who refused would be force-fed. Massage therapy and electricity was used to help prevent atrophy in the muscles of the patients who have been lying in bed all day. Statistically, women in mental asylums during this time outnumbered the men . Weir Mitchell goes on to say“ A man who does not know sick women does not know women(cervetti 119)”. This goes to say that most of the men took on a perspective of women as the weaker