psychiatric hospital

The earliest known mental hospitals were established in the Arab world, in Baghdad (918 ce) and in Cairo, where such individuals were often described as the “afflicted of Allah.” Some contemporary African tribes benignly regard hallucinations as communications from the realm of the spirits; among others, Hindu culture…

Many hospitals for the mentally ill were built in the latter half of the 18th century. Some of them, like the York Retreat in England, were run on humane and enlightened principles, while others, like the York Asylum, gave rise to great…

…been cared for in long-stay mental health facilities, formerly called asylums or mental hospitals. Today the majority of large general hospitals have a psychiatric unit, and many individuals are able to maintain lives as regular members of the community. There are still facilities that specialize in the treatment of mental…