Born:
March 30, 1876, in New Haven, Connecticut
Died:
July 9, 1943, in Providence, Rhode Island
Notable Quote:
"A pen rather than a lance has been my weapon of offence and defense; with its point I should prick the civic conscience and bring into a neglected field men and women who should act as champions for those afflicted thousands least able to fight for themselves."
Regarding Bipolar Disorder:
Clifford W. Beers was a young, Yale graduate well-position to launch his career as a financier when he suffered his first hospitalization following a suicide attempt due to bipolar disorder. His autobiography, A Mind That Found Itself, was a benchmark expose on the pathetic conditions to be found in the asylums of that period. His horrific experiences with that and subsequent stays in asylums lead him to a lifelong battle to improve the mental health care system. Due to his efforts to end the stigma and inhuman treatment associate with mental illness, Mr. Beers is considered the founder of the modern mental health movement. In 1908, with the help of several others, he established the Connecticut Society for Mental Hygiene and followed with the founding of the National Mental Health Association in 1909.
References
Clifford Beers: The Origins of Modern Mental Health Policy
The Extra Mile: Clifford W. Beers
