Mental Illness In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

In modern society mental health and mental illness are vastly different. It can be distinguished that having a poor mental health does not mean that the person is mentally ill, but you can have a diminishing mental health while also struggling with mental illness. The difference between mental health and mental illness did not exist within the ward in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; patients considered different conditions as classifications due to a misunderstanding of mental health, causing the lines to be blurred. Oregon was thought to have an advanced mental institution program at the time, but historical demographics reveal otherwise. “Throughout most of the nineteenth century, the majority of those admitted to asylums were patients suffering from "acute" symptoms, but as time went on, practitioners judged an increasing number of patients to be "chronic."” (Cutler). This is related to the novel "One Flew Over the

It was typical for patients receiving care to deteriorate within their condition. It was noted in a census taken from the 1950s that, “According to preliminary information, the number of patients in State and county mental hospitals increased in 1950.” (Public Health Reports). During this time period, anyone who appeared to be out of the ordinary was most likely institutionalized. This highlights the distinction between mental health and ailment; the fact that many people during this time had poor mental health does not mean they have a mental illness and should be institutionalized. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," by Ken Kesey, is a social critique on the maltreatment of inmates in mental facilities during the 1950s. Characters such as Bromden and McMurphy serve to highlight the distinction between mental illness and mental health. Chief Bromden has paranoid