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- Title
Wendung nach Innen.
- Authors
Balz, Viola; Klöppel, Ulrike
- Abstract
The article focuses on the efforts to reform the psychiatric system of the GDR over the time period from 1960 to 1989. Based on up to now un-evaluated archival material of the Ministry of Health and psychiatric publications we have reconstructed how the state and psychiatrists struggled to transform the psychiatric services. Whereas in the 1960s a number of reform-oriented clinicians were granted some influence on the planning of psychiatric services their options were restricted from 1970 onwards in favour of a handful of psychiatrist who were loyal to the party. In order to develop the psychiatric system further towards rehabilitative forms of care the reformers promoted psychotropic drugs with the intention to mobilize the patients. However, it turned out that they were mainly used for sedative purposes. Another means to purge psychiatric services was health education. With this the risk to develop or perpetuate mental health problems was relegated to the self-responsibility of the citizens.
- Subjects
GERMANY (East); MENTAL health services; PUBLIC health; PUBLIC welfare; MENTAL health policy; HEALTH education; SEDATIVES; TWENTIETH century; HISTORY; THERAPEUTICS
- Publication
Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, 2015, Vol 63, Issue 4, p539
- ISSN
0042-5702
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/vfzg-2015-0033