The Age of Anxiety: Stones, Feathers and Re-institutionalization

Abstract

Although the value of the Italian psychiatric reform is widely acknowledged and hotly contested, a meticulous comment on its roots and progress is required. This paper attempts to examine the current state of mental health services in Italy and emphasizes Franco Basaglia's writings. The aim of the paper is to: (1) respond to the challenge of providing adequate and human rights-based mental health services, (2) contrast the new Italian tendency of medicalization, which is supported by a law proposal to re-institutionalize the mental health care system. The analysis is based on both current and historical library work and literature review. Since the present policy seems to be proceeding backwards, the direct study of Basaglia's writings assumes significance in not forgetting the past as well as in re-interpreting the present risk of re-institutionalization. The paper then emphasizes the veracity of Basaglia's thought and suggests a re-reading of his work.