The Overuse of Laudanum—A Dangerous Cure-All for Nerves
In the Victorian era, laudanum was the go-to remedy for nearly every ailment, from headaches to hysteria. This potent tincture, a mix of opium and alcohol, was widely available and shockingly affordable. It was sold over the counter, prescribed liberally by doctors, and even found in household medicine cabinets, where it was used to soothe everything from teething pain in infants to the anxieties of overworked professionals. For those suffering from what was then called “melancholia”—a condition now recognized as depression—laudanum provided temporary relief, numbing emotional distress and inducing a sense of calm.
Yet, the widespread use of laudanum came at a devastating cost. The drug was highly addictive, and many Victorians unknowingly fell into dependence. Physicians, unaware of the long-term consequences, often recommended increasing doses when patients developed a tolerance, leading to spiraling addiction. Notable figures, including poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, battled lifelong struggles with opium addiction. Overdoses were common, particularly among women, who were disproportionately prescribed the drug for “nervous conditions.” The lack of regulation meant that many unknowingly consumed dangerously high doses, with fatal consequences.
Despite its dangers, laudanum remained a staple of Victorian medicine for decades, a grim testament to the era’s limited understanding of mental health. It wasn’t until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that awareness of addiction led to stricter controls, gradually reducing its prevalence. However, its legacy lingers, a cautionary tale of how easily a supposed cure can become a curse.
The Rest Cure—Forcing Patients Into Isolation and Idleness
The Rest Cure was one of the most widely prescribed treatments for anxiety and depression in the Victorian era, particularly for women. Developed by American neurologist Silas Weir Mitchell in the late 19th century, the treatment was designed to combat hysteria, neurasthenia, and melancholia—terms used to describe various nervous disorders. Mitchell’s method, which gained popularity in both the United States and Britain, revolved around absolute rest, isolation, and forced feeding, with the belief that reducing physical and mental exertion would restore a patient’s nervous system.
Patients undergoing the Rest Cure were typically confined to bed for six to eight weeks, during which they were forbidden from engaging in any intellectual activity, including reading or writing. Instead, they were subjected to a strict regimen of high-calorie diets, often consisting of milk and meat, intended to encourage weight gain and increase blood supply. Additionally, treatments such as massage therapy, electrotherapy, and cold showers were sometimes administered to stimulate circulation without requiring physical exertion.
Despite its widespread use, the Rest Cure was highly controversial. While some physicians believed it was an effective way to “reset” a patient’s nervous condition, others criticized its punitive and restrictive nature. Women, in particular, were disproportionately subjected to this treatment, reinforcing traditional gender roles by discouraging them from intellectual or professional pursuits. The dangers of the Rest Cure were famously illustrated in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1892 short story The Yellow Wallpaper, which depicted a woman’s descent into psychosis after being subjected to enforced isolation and inactivity.
Ultimately, while the Rest Cure reflected a shift away from more violent treatments such as physical restraints, it remained a flawed and often harmful approach to mental health treatment. By prioritizing passivity and dependency, it failed to address the root causes of depression and anxiety, leaving many patients worse off than before.
Victorian Asylums—When Mental Health Meant Institutionalization
Victorian asylums were originally intended as humane alternatives to the brutal treatment of mentally ill individuals in earlier centuries. Influenced by reformers like William and Samuel Tuke, the moral treatment system emphasized dignity, structured routines, and therapeutic activities. Patients were encouraged to participate in daily tasks, communal dining, and even recreational activities to foster stability and self-control. However, despite these progressive intentions, asylums quickly became overcrowded, understaffed, and increasingly restrictive, particularly for marginalized groups like women and the poor.
By the mid-19th century, many asylums adopted the non-restraint policy, a significant shift away from physical confinement. Institutions like Lincoln Asylum and Hanwell Asylum banned straitjackets and chains, instead promoting controlled environments with padded rooms and cold water therapy to manage distressed patients. Yet, these facilities often fell short of their rehabilitative goals. Overcrowding led to deteriorating conditions, with some institutions housing thousands of patients in regimented, impersonal settings. Treatments ranged from occupational therapy to harsh interventions like ice baths and sedatives, reflecting the limited medical understanding of mental illness at the time.
Despite their flaws, Victorian asylums marked a transition from punitive to systemic mental health care. They laid the groundwork for later psychiatric institutions, though many patients remained institutionalized for life due to the era’s rudimentary treatments and persistent societal stigma.
Hysteria Diagnoses—Blaming Women’s Emotions on a Medical Condition
During the Victorian era, hysteria became a widely accepted medical diagnosis, almost exclusively applied to women. The term itself dates back to ancient Greece, where physicians like Hippocrates attributed female emotional distress to a “wandering womb.” By the 19th century, this outdated notion persisted, with doctors believing hysteria was directly linked to the female reproductive system. Symptoms ranged from anxiety, mood swings, and fainting spells to convulsions and paralysis, making it a convenient label for any behavior deemed socially unacceptable for women.
Medical treatments for hysteria reflected these misguided beliefs. Some physicians prescribed “rest cures”, which confined women to bed for weeks without mental or physical stimulation—essentially forcing them into idleness. Others turned to massage therapy, a euphemism for manually inducing “hysterical paroxysms” (orgasms), under the assumption that sexual release could alleviate symptoms. This led to the invention of early vibrators, initially developed as medical devices. More extreme cases resulted in institutionalization, where women were sent to asylums, often against their will, for failing to conform to rigid societal expectations.
By the late 19th century, medical perspectives began shifting. French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot challenged the reproductive theory, suggesting hysteria stemmed from neurological conditions rather than the uterus. His work influenced Sigmund Freud, who later theorized that hysteria was rooted in psychological trauma rather than purely physical causes. These evolving perspectives gradually led to the decline of hysteria as a medical diagnosis, though the social control it represented lingered for decades.
The Role of Hypnosis and Early Psychological Treatments
During the Victorian era, hypnosis and early psychological treatments were emerging as new approaches to mental health, though they were not widely used for anxiety and depression. One of the most notable figures in this field was Franz Anton Mesmer, who developed mesmerism, a practice based on the belief that an invisible magnetic force influenced human health. While mesmerism was largely dismissed by the medical establishment, it laid the groundwork for later studies in hypnosis and suggestion therapy.
French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot played a significant role in legitimizing hypnosis as a medical treatment, particularly for hysteria. His work influenced Sigmund Freud, who initially explored hypnosis before developing psychoanalysis. Another key figure, Pierre Janet, proposed that mental disorders, including hysteria, stemmed from dissociation—a concept that would later shape modern psychotherapy. However, Victorian treatments for anxiety and depression remained largely physical in nature, relying on rest cures, specialized diets, and sedatives like morphine rather than psychological interventions.
Despite its limited use for depression, hypnosis marked an important shift in understanding mental health. It emphasized the role of the mind in illness, paving the way for the psychological treatments that would gain prominence in the 20th century.
The Use of Herbal Remedies and Homeopathic Medicines
During the Victorian era, medical treatments were often a blend of scientific inquiry and traditional healing. With formal psychiatry still in its infancy, many turned to herbal remedies and homeopathic medicines to manage anxiety and depression—then broadly categorized as “melancholia.” These approaches relied on centuries-old botanical knowledge, emphasizing natural solutions over the more extreme medical interventions of the time.
Among the most commonly used herbal treatments was Valerian root, a plant known for its sedative properties. Physicians recommended it to patients struggling with nervousness, insomnia, and restlessness—symptoms frequently associated with melancholia. Chamomile, another widely favored remedy, was used to soothe anxiety and promote relaxation, often brewed into teas or mixed into tinctures. Lavender, with its calming aroma, was believed to ease nervous tension and was commonly used in baths, sachets, and oils. While these treatments lacked the scientific backing of modern pharmacology, they reflected a growing awareness of mental health management through natural means.
Homeopathy, a medical system developed by Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th century, gained popularity in Victorian England as an alternative to harsh medical treatments like bloodletting and purging. Homeopathic practitioners adhered to the principle of “like cures like”, administering highly diluted substances that, in larger amounts, would cause symptoms similar to those of the illness being treated. For melancholia, homeopaths often prescribed Ignatia amara, derived from the St. Ignatius bean, which was believed to alleviate grief and deep sadness. Patients seeking gentler, non-invasive treatments often turned to homeopathy, seeing it as a humane alternative to institutionalization or opiate-based medications like laudanum.
Despite their popularity, herbal and homeopathic remedies were not without criticism. The medical establishment remained divided on their efficacy, and without standardized dosages or clinical trials, results varied widely. However, these treatments provided accessible, natural options for those suffering from anxiety and depression—especially women, who were often discouraged from seeking formal psychiatric care. In many ways, the Victorian reliance on plant-based medicine foreshadowed today’s interest in holistic mental health treatments, demonstrating a long-standing belief in the healing power of nature.
How Attitudes Toward Mental Health Changed Over Time
Victorian approaches to mental health evolved dramatically over the course of the 19th century. Early in the period, mental illness was largely seen as a moral failing rather than a medical condition. Those suffering from conditions like melancholia—what we now recognize as depression—were often confined to asylums, which functioned more as places of containment than treatment. Reformers such as Samuel Tuke and Harriet Martineau, however, advocated for more humane approaches, emphasizing rehabilitation over mere custody (source).
By the mid-Victorian era, attitudes began to shift toward therapeutic interventions. The introduction of moral therapy encouraged structured routines, social engagement, and occupational therapy as a means of helping patients regain mental stability. Doctors like Dr. Thomas Harrison Yeoman started categorizing melancholia into different subtypes, recognizing that not all cases were the same. Additionally, the non-restraint movement, championed by figures like John Conolly, sought to eliminate the use of physical restraints in asylums, favoring psychological and environmental interventions instead (source).
Despite these advances, the late Victorian period saw setbacks as asylums became overcrowded, leading to a resurgence in the use of restraints and sedatives like laudanum and morphine to manage patients. Gender biases also played a significant role in mental health diagnoses. Women, in particular, were frequently labeled with hysteria, a condition thought to stem from their reproductive systems, reinforcing restrictive societal norms. Treatments often included forced rest, isolation, and, in some cases, marriage as a “cure” for their emotional distress (source).
By the end of the century, however, medical professionals increasingly recognized mental illness as a legitimate health issue rather than a character flaw. Psychological treatments such as hypnosis and early forms of psychotherapy gained traction, laying the groundwork for modern psychiatric practices. While Victorian mental health care was far from perfect, it marked an important transition from punishment to treatment, paving the way for more compassionate approaches in the 20th century (source).
