The roots of the concept of mental health

Abstract

This paper reviews the origins of the current concept of mental health, starting from the mental hygiene movement, initiated in 1908 by consumers of psychiatric services and professionals interested in improving the conditions and the quality of treatment of people with mental disorders. The paper argues that, more than a scientific discipline, mental health is a political and ideological movement involving diverse segments of society, interested in the promotion of the human rights of people with mental disorders and the quality of their treatment.