The Rest Cure was an extremely popular treatment for the mentally ill during the nineteenth century. During this time period, women were a target for a diagnosis of insanity. Charlotte Perkins Gilman described the exact effect this cure had on most women in her controversial short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Many articles detail the horrible outcomes that this treatment caused women to go through. However, in the nineteenth century, women had no place to speak up about what this care was doing to their mental health. The cultural circumstances during this time were the main reason why this treatment was used on so many women. Fortunately, after some time, many figured out that the physician who was responsible for this, Silas Weir Mitchell, was not only mistreating this disease, but also misdiagnosing the patients. The Yellow Wallpaper clearly states the mistreatment and women’s oppression during the time Physician Silas Weir Mitchell was practicing this treatment, and many articles show contrast between different treatment men and women received, which was eventually found to be a misdiagnosis.

Women have just recently been gaining more and more power, whether that be human rights, ability to run for office, or simply not having gender roles to abide by. However, back in the 1800’s this was unthought-of of ever happening, as they were dealing with much more significant issues. The Rest Cure is a perfect example of the limitations that men were setting on women during this time. This treatment involved bed rest, over feeding, and complete restriction of reading and writing,. On the other hand, any man that was diagnosed with a mental illness was treated with the West Cure. This cure was known for its outrageously different approaches, while it intended to treat the same disease. While women were being isolated and driven more insane, in most instances the mentally ill men were told to go west and engage themselves in as much physical activity as possible, and frequently returned cured. This is a prime example of the contrast between how men and women were being treated, which is the complete opposite in this case.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper” because of her experience with the rest cure. She explained the affects the treatment had on women over time. This story also showed the female oppression that men put onto women, as the main character in this story was very obedient when she conversed with her husband. Most women that were diagnosed with mental illness, were not even ill, and this treatment actually drove them insane. While said in the story, patients were told that reading and writing were not allowed, which is shocking that Gilman was even able to document her experience. During this time period, women could be punished for acting out against what they were told. Simply the fact that Gilman wrote this story is astonishing, due to the time that she lived in. 

There are several articles found online that detail and criticize Physician Silas Weir Mitchell for his misdiagnosis and mistreatment of this disease. His regimen for this disease basically started the trend of the opening of insane asylums, which lasted fairly long. Although he would diagnose men and women with the same disease, each gender had their own treatment of this illness. Silas Weir Mitchell actually diagnosed himself with neurasthenic and endured the west cure, he believed this treatment was essential and treated himself to it annually. Many known men underwent the west cure, including President Theodore Roosevelt, who had mutual friends with the known physician. Mitchell diagnosed all mental illness with neurasthenia, which is the main reason why many that were sent away to be treated with the rest cure, were driven crazy.

The West Cure was experienced by many notable men and had a massive influence on not only American literature, but also politics. Men, unlike women receiving the Rest Cure, were encouraged to document their experience, and many stories told during this time of their lives were published. President Theodore Roosevelt underwent the West Cure several times, taking frequent trips to the Dakotas, hoping to heal his symptoms and also in hopes to become more masculine, as this treatment was physically enduring. Most of those who experienced the West Cure not only were cured by the end of the trip, but enjoyed it, hence the multiple trips some would take. 

The reasoning behind these vastly different treatments was very obvious post World War I, as doctors became more educated on mental health. The strangely unalike strategies each cure called for clearly occurred to reinforce proper gender roles, as physicians were attempting to mold each sex into what society wanted them to act like. It was clear that the West Cure was the appropriate solution, however it’s understandable that women would never be sent for this treatment, as it was far too excruciating for a woman of that time to go through.  Although aspects of the Rest and West Cures still appear in modern day diagnosis, it is nothing like it was in the nineteenth century. Physician Silas Weir Mitchell’s Rest Cure was quickly replaced by exceptionally more effective diagnosis and treatments, as doctors began discovering the many different varieties of mental illness.

Insanity diagnosis during the nineteenth century set a tone of how men and women should be treated differently. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote about the Rest Cure in “The Yellow Wallpaper” which picks out how isolation and restriction of everyday activities can drive a woman insane. Gilman’s short story is not the only writing that gives proof of this treatment being inadequate. Many sites include evidence of why this diagnosis and treatment were awfully wrong. Unfortunately, during the time of this cure, women had no say in anything, even their own mental health. While women were receiving the Rest Cure, a different and more effective therapy was curing men, which most known as the West Cure. Although women were dying of insanity because of Physician Silas Weir Mitchell, men were able to document their wonderful experiences out West to share when they returned. While the women of this time sat silent, unaware that this treatment was killing them. 
