The History of Manic Depression Treatment The treatment of manic depression has changed over the years. This essay will compare the view and treatment of manic depression in the 1960s with the view and treatment today. The mental illness of manic depression, its treatment and diagnosis, will be explained and detailed. Diagnosing manic depression has been a difficult task for doctors. In the 1960s, people were rarely treated or even diagnosed for manic depression. It was only in the late 1970s that lithium, a mood stabilizer for maniacs, was introduced. Manic depression was not easily detected. Most doctors attributed the dramatic mood swings to puberty or the state of adolescence. Most commonly, the patient was told to get better or was given some type of antidepressant. Many people began to self-medicate in the 1960s with the various drugs that were around. There were medications and treatments, but none specifically aimed at manic depression. The most common drugs were thorazine, various tranquilizers, meprobamate (Miltown), Librium, and diazepam (Valium). The most common treatment was psychotherapy or speech therapy. If your symptoms or actions were severe, you were most likely labeled crazy or insane and institutionalized. Even though you recovered, the stigma of insanity haunted you when you tried to lead a normal life. Since the 1990s, diagnosing mania has become increasingly easier. CT and MRI scans show abnormalities and changes in brain waves to aid in diagnosis. Mania is now treatable with lithium, anticonvulsants, and therapeutic interventions. Now there are support groups and other help for people. Many people are still hospitalized, but conditions are much better. People are no longer labeled crazy. It's a problem that many people are trying to understand. There are still ignorant people and the stigma of mental illness is still present. Manic depression, in most cases, is treatable and people who suffer from it can live.