Clifford Whittingham Beers

Clifford Whittingham Beers (March 30, 1876 – July 9, 1943) was the founder of the American mental hygiene movement.^[1]

Clifford Whittingham Beers
Beers in 1908, from the frontispiece of his book
Born	Clifford Whittingham Beers (1876-03-30)March 30, 1876 New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	July 9, 1943(1943-07-09) (aged 67) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Yale University
Occupation(s)	Founder of the "National Committee for Mental Hygiene" (1909) Founder of New Haven's Clifford Beers Clinic (1913), the first outpatient mental health clinic in the United States
Known for	Founder of the American Mental Health Movement Author of A Mind That Found Itself (1908)
Spouse	Clara (Jepson) Beers
Parent(s)	Robert Anthony Beers Ida (Cooke) Beers
Honors	Honorary President of the World Federation for Mental Health Chevalier Legion d'Honneur (1933)

Biography

Beers was born in New Haven on March 30, 1876. He was one of five children, all of whom would suffer from psychological distress and would spend time in mental institutions, including Beers himself (see "Clifford W. Beers, Advocate for the Insane"). He graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale in 1897,^[1] where he was business manager of The Yale Record and a member of Berzelius.^[2]

In 1900 he was first confined to a private mental institution for depression and paranoia. He would later be confined to another private hospital as well as a state institution. During these periods he experienced and witnessed serious maltreatment at the hands of the staff. His book A Mind That Found Itself (1908), an autobiographical account of his hospitalization and the abuses he suffered, was widely and favorably reviewed, became a bestseller, and is still in print.^[1]

Beers gained the support of the medical profession and others in the work to reform the treatment of the mentally ill. In 1908 Beers founded the "Connecticut Society for Mental Hygiene", now named Mental Health Connecticut. In 1909 Beers founded the "National Committee for Mental Hygiene", renamed "National Mental Health Association", now named "Mental Health America", in order to continue the reform for the treatment of the mentally ill.^[3]

He also started the Clifford Beers Clinic in New Haven in 1913, the first outpatient mental health clinic in the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Beers became Honorary President of the World Federation for Mental Health.^{[when?][citation needed]}

Beers was a leader in the field until his retirement in 1939.^[1] He died in Providence, Rhode Island, on July 9, 1943.

The Extra Mile in Washington, D.C., selected Beers as one of its 37 honorees. The Extra Mile pays homage to Americans like Beers who set their own self-interest aside to help others and successfully brought positive social change to the United States.

References

1. Thomas Szasz (2008). Psychiatry:The Science of Lies. p. 98.
2. "Clifford Whittingham Beers". History of the Class of 1897, Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University: Decennial Record 1897–1907. New Haven: The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company. 1907. p. 4.
3. "Our history". Mental Health America. Retrieved December 31, 2023.

Bibliography

• Clifford Beers, A Mind That Found Itself, Pittsburgh and London: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1981 ISBN 0-8229-5324-2
• Norman Dain, Clifford W. Beers, Advocate for the Insane, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1980

External links

• Clifford Beers Clinic
• The Clifford Beers Foundation
• Works by Clifford Whittingham Beers at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about Clifford Whittingham Beers at the Internet Archive
• Health America (MHA)