Chronic Psychosis and its Prevention

Here is a short history of chronic psychosis: at the turn of the last century there were large public institutions for tuberculosis, leprosy and chronic psychiatric illnesses, especially schizophrenia. After enough progress was made in infectious diseases, institutions for TB and leprosy became obsolete. When chlorpromazine was discovered in 1954 there was hope that deinstitutionalization would occur in psychiatry as well. This belief led to the Community Mental Health Act (passed by the U.S. Congress in 1963). However, as of today public institutions treating chronic psychoses remain standing. To put it simply, treatment of these conditions has not made enough progress as to warrant the abolition of hospitals for their long term treatment.