The last hundred years have seen dramatic changes in the type and standard of care that those with learning disabilities or mental health problems have come to expect.

For many years, disabilities of this nature were greatly misunderstood and led to those affected being resigned to psychiatric hospitals, or ‘asylums’. The chance of a ‘normal’ life was minimal. Instead they were subjected to largely experimental forms of treatment such as electroconvulsive therapy and insulin coma treatment.

Thankfully, changes were instigated in the care and understanding of those with neurological problems due to the formation of charities such as NAMH (later to become MIND) and the introduction of drug treatment programmes. Read the rest of this entry →