Steps On The Way Back To Normalcy

Published In
Ann Arbor News, February 23, 1937
Caption
Steps On Way Back To Normalcy - Left to themselves, sufferers from certain forms of mind illness reverse the usual form of mental development and go backward until they have less than the understanding of babes, less than the ability of babes to care for their needs. Through the curative effects of occupational therapy it has been found possible in many cases to arrest this deterioration, to turn the mental process around again toward the light and away from the dark. Patients sometimes have to start at the beginning, having their hands guided in simple tasks, as a child is guided. Note how the therapist in the picture is guiding the hand of the patient in a weaving operation. As the mental therapy treatment develops and as the patient becomes more interested, more awakened he may regain self confidence and recover productive ability to such an extent that he may be able to do useful work about the institution or return to society.