Treatment in the Renaissance Era

This was the era that saw the advent of the first asylums for mentally ill patients. These asylums were poorly maintained and involved grotesque treatment of the individuals. The sole purpose of these institutions was to keep the mentally ill or socially incompatible away from the rest of the population. Often the disheveled and distraught patients would be put on display as a source of morbid entertainment.  

In this era, the theory of the Occult gained a sudden strength and many maladies and mishaps were attributed to the meddling of witches and warlocks. In the late 16th to early 17th century, there was a flurry of activity concerning the identification and accusation of witches who were believed to be the reasons for some bizarre, inexplicable behavior exhibited by members of various townships and villages. One famous example are the Salem witch trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The belief in the power of the occult  led to mass trials and hangings of accused witches in various parts of the world.

 
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