Women Sent to Insane Asylums for “Reading Novels” — Really?

Some of the acceptable reasons for having women committed to insane asylums in the mid- to late-19th century

Photo by Nathan Wright on Unsplash

For years now people and organizations have worked hard to de-stigmatize mental illness. Advancing mental illness as a legitimate health issue, and working to reduce the fear and shame associated with it, is beginning to change society’s views. For all of the progress we’ve made, there are still reminders that not long ago, for the 25 years after the Civil War, things were very different, especially for women.

Reasons for Admission — 1864 to 1889

A woman could be admitted to an insane asylum for:

• Ill treatment by husband
• Imaginary female trouble (As decided by men.)
• Hysteria
• Greed
• Laziness
• Domestic trouble
• Religious enthusiasm
• Excessive sexual abuse (done to her)
• Seduction & disappointment
• Uterine derangement (?)
• Fall from horse in war
• Sexual derangement
• The (Civil) War
• Carbonic acid (carbonated water) gas