William Sweetser coined the term mental hygiene in the mid-19th century. It served as the precursor of modern approaches to promoting positive mental health. {2}
Years back, people with mental illness were regarded as untreatable and were often punished. This led to the stigmatization of those with mental health conditions.
Elizabeth Dix was a school teacher who worked to expose the conditions under which people with mental disorders were placed. This movement became known as the mental hygiene movement.