The Rest Cure Research Paper

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In the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Jane, the main character, has nervous depression and is given the rest cure to treat her illness. The issue with this treatment is the lack of knowledge of mental illness. The treatment of mental illness in “The Yellow Wallpaper” is different from that of today because the rest cure isn’t a valid form of treatment, medication or therapy is much more effective towards improving mental illness, and a screening on your health is able to provide the answer as to which cure works best for each individual. Created by Silas Weir Mitchel, the Rest Cure was a popular treatment for diseases such as hysteria, neurasthenia, and other nervous illnesses. In Jane’s case, this illness was nervous depression. The Rest Cure commonly consisted of six to eight weeks of no talking, no writing, no family contact, and a fatty dairy-based …show more content…

Many patients require an individualized plan to tackle the difficult task of overcoming depression or other mental illnesses. The Rest Cure, which was used in the early 19th century, was known as a universal cure for many non-universal illnesses. As a consequence, this left many mentally ill victims worse than they were before they began treatment. In today’s modern technology, there are numerous tests and screening that can be used to determine the perfect treatment plan for you, without the enormous risk of a worsened illness (Mental Health Assessment). For example, if Jane would have had a screening on her health, they could have given her a proper diagnosis and gave her the proper treatment. Sadly, no one had the luxury of a proper treatment. Back in the 19th century, the Rest Cure was known as a cure-all of nervous mental illnesses, which we know is not the case today. A test or screening on mental health can help a doctor or psychiatrist determine the best personalized cure for almost any sort of issue you are

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