Hey everyone! This blog post serves as an introduction for myself for my professor and peers in HIST 471G4, History of Mental Health in the U.S. My name in Lyndsey and I’m a double major in Communications & Digital Studies and History. I took this class because I enjoyed several classes I had previously with Dr. McClurken, who is fantastic. However, I am also coming very close to completing the requirements for the History major, and had to fit in another 400-level class. What better way to do that than with a professor I’m already familiar with and think is wonderful? I’m very interested in how this course will go, mainly because we will be covering a range of highly controversial topics related to the history of mental health. Mental health is a fascinating topic, however I’m most interested in its portrayal in popular culture, as well as studying the innovations and effects following the World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. These are some of the areas I’m most interested in as a growing historian. I love exploring the impact of these wars from a social, political, and cultural standpoint. I am already aware of the differences in terminology throughout history. One of my favorite comedians, George Carlin, even discussed the issues related to these changes in language in a few of his routines and how people most likely could have found help had the rest of the world not avoided the serious topic at hand. I’m very interested to see the history behind this and to explore how things have changed over time, particular how people have become more aware and conscious of their and others mental health.
