
01 Jan 2011, 11:42
What I am very curious about, but have yet to find good (or any) sources on are the policies and treatment of the mentally ill in the Soviet Union, particularly under the regimes of Lenin and Stalin.
From the little, and probobly poor, information I have aquired, I have read that under Lenin, the Party aimed to create a greater understanding and respect throughout society towards people with mental disorders. Then, under Stalin, they were again persecuted and mistreated; (some) individuals who challenged Stalin's authority or disagreed with his policies were even imprisoned in psychiatric hospitals where they recieved torture, before being labelled as mentally ill because of their veiws on the state.
How much of this is true? If not, what were the USSR's policies and methods of treatment towards the mentally ill?

02 Jan 2011, 06:25
I don't think aborting babies with Down's Syndrome alone would make mental illnesess are rariety. Most mental illnesess, such as schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar, unipolar, etc, develop after birth. Development disorders like Down's Syndrome, Autism or Asperger's Syndrome are conditions you are born with.

02 Jan 2011, 07:24
I mostly want a comparison between the USSR under Lenin then Stalin.