Photo: Courtesy of FX.
We all know our culture has a very troubled past when it comes to mental illness, from the questionable practice of electroshock therapy to the warehousing of patients in substandard institutions. Psychiatric disorders have been so poorly understood, they were oftentimes dealt with by simply shuttling the sick person off.
And, after viewing this list of "medical" reasons people were admitted to West Virginia’s Hospital for the Insane in the late 1800s, we have to admit that it seems like there was A LOT that could land you in a straightjacket in those days.
Some notables on the list? "Bad whiskey," "menstrual deranged," "political excitement," "masturbation for 30 years" (not to mention "suppressed masturbation"), and the ol' "parents were cousins" reason. Check out the entire fascinating list after the click. (Dangerous Minds)