The Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th century. It transformed societies. Factories replaced farms. Urbanization expanded. Technology advanced rapidly. Yet, psychiatry and psychology lagged behind. Why were mental health conditions like dementia praecox (an early term for schizophrenia) and Asperger’s syndrome identified much later? Thus, the answer lies in history, science, and society.
Psychiatry: Lack of a scientific framework
Before the Industrial Revolution, mental illness was misunderstood. They often link them to morality, religion, or the supernatural. People with mental health issues were called “lunatics” or “possessed.” Treatments were harsh. Understanding of the brain was primitive. Psychiatry did not exist as a scientific field.
Moreover, by the mid-19th century, this started to change. Advances in medicine and biology paved the way. Emil Kraepelin, in the late 19th century, classified mental illnesses. He introduced “dementia praecox” in 1896. This laid the foundation for modern psychiatry. Still, it took time to differentiate specific disorders.
Social structure during industrialization
The Industrial Revolution emphasized productivity. Society valued efficiency. Mental health was not a priority. People with severe conditions were institutionalized. Behavioral differences, like those seen in autism or Asperger’s, were dismissed as eccentricities or ignored.
Urbanization brought changes. Cities required conformity. Schools demanded standard behavior. Factories expected discipline. Those who struggled became more visible. This visibility highlighted the need to understand these conditions. But the focus remained on physical science, not mental health.
Psychiatry as a latecomer
During the Industrial Revolution, society’s priorities were clear: economic growth and technological advancement. Mental health did not contribute directly to productivity. As a result, professional scientists largely ignored psychiatry. Funding went to fields like engineering, chemistry, and medicine – areas that promised immediate industrial or military benefits. Psychiatry was seen as speculative and impractical.
At the same time, the Industrial Revolution saw the rise of a new elite: the super-rich industrialists. These individuals structured society around profit and productivity. They funded innovations that directly benefited their enterprises, like machinery and transportation. Mental health was irrelevant to their goals. The suffering of those with mental illnesses, often institutionalized or excluded from the workforce, was not their concern. This neglect trickled down to scientific funding priorities, further marginalizing psychiatry.
They often underfunded institutions for mental health, like asylums and managed them poorly.. These facilities were more about containment than treatment. Professionals focused on physical diseases, leaving mental health to clerics or moralists. It wasn’t until Emil Kraepelin and others began systematizing mental illness in the late 19th century that psychiatry gained some legitimacy. Even then, it remained on the margins compared to fields like surgery or pharmacology.
Similarly, Hans Asperger described “autistic psychopathy” in children in 1944. His work remained untranslated and overlooked for decades. World War II disrupted its dissemination. Autism gained recognition only in the late 20th century. Societal awareness grew slowly.
Ethical and scientific barriers
Mental health research faced ethical challenges. Many individuals with mental illnesses were confined to asylums. Their treatment limited detailed study. Tools like brain imaging and behavioral analysis did not exist. Early studies relied on subjective observation, which was often inconsistent and lacked systematic methodology.
Neurodiversity concepts took longer to develop. Understanding conditions like Asperger’s syndrome required a shift. Society needed to recognize differences as part of the human spectrum, not merely deficiencies.
The role of education and social systems
Compulsory education played a role. As schools became standard, children with developmental differences became apparent. Teachers noticed struggles with social interaction or learning. These systems, rigid by design, exposed neurodevelopmental conditions. This visibility fueled the need for better explanations.
Similarly, industrial workplaces exposed adults who could not conform to rigid schedules or repetitive tasks. These environments demanded uniformity, making deviations more noticeable.
Conclusion
The late identification of dementia praecox and Asperger’s syndrome reflects historical, scientific, and social delays. Early societies lacked the tools and frameworks to understand these conditions. The Industrial Revolution focused on material progress, not mental health. Psychiatry’s emergence in the 19th century began to bridge this gap. Over time, changing societal demands and scientific advancements brought attention to these disorders.
It is also essential to note that Asperger’s syndrome is no longer considered an illness. It is now understood as part of the autism spectrum, reflecting the diversity of human neurology.
Leave a Reply