Cases of political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union

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Valery Tarsis (1906 - 1983) (7650226650)

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St Petersburg Psychiatric Hospital of Specialized Type with Intense Observation

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Valeriya Novodvorskaya3

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Cases of political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union refer to the systematic use of psychiatry as a tool of repression to silence political dissent, ideological nonconformity, or perceived antisocial behavior within the Soviet Union. This practice was most rampant during the late 1960s to the early 1980s, a period marked by heightened political control and the suppression of political dissidents.

Background

The Soviet Union, established in 1922, was a single-party state governed by the Communist Party. The government often employed harsh measures to maintain control and suppress dissent, including the use of psychiatric hospitals to incarcerate and discredit political opponents. This misuse of psychiatry was based on the premise that political dissent against the state was a form of mental illness that needed to be treated.

Mechanism

The mechanism of political abuse of psychiatry involved the diagnosis of individuals who opposed the government with various forms of mental illness, most notably "sluggish schizophrenia," a diagnosis peculiar to the Soviet Union. Individuals could be committed to psychiatric hospitals based on the broad and vague criteria of this diagnosis, often without the need for a trial or legal process. Inside these hospitals, patients could be subjected to involuntary treatment, including the administration of psychotropic drugs, electroconvulsive therapy, and other forms of coercion.

Notable Cases

Several high-profile cases highlighted the political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union. These include the cases of Vladimir Bukovsky, a human rights activist and dissident who was detained in psychiatric hospitals multiple times; Leonid Plyushch, a mathematician and dissident subjected to forced psychiatric treatment; and Pyotr Grigorenko, a Soviet general and dissident who was declared mentally ill and confined to a psychiatric hospital after criticizing the Soviet leadership.

International Response

The international community, including human rights organizations and Western governments, condemned the Soviet Union's use of psychiatry for political purposes. The issue was brought to the forefront by dissidents and defectors who exposed the practices, leading to campaigns and protests demanding the release of political detainees from psychiatric hospitals.

Legacy

The political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union left a lasting impact on the field of psychiatry and human rights. It led to increased scrutiny of the ethical responsibilities of psychiatrists and the development of international guidelines to protect the rights of patients. The World Psychiatric Association addressed the issue by adopting the Declaration of Hawaii in 1977, which set ethical standards for the practice of psychiatry worldwide.

See Also

• Human rights in the Soviet Union
• Dissolution of the Soviet Union
• Psychiatric repression in the Soviet Union

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