The Sexist History of Blaming Mothers for Mental Illness

Who came up with the most damaging theory of why mothers were to blame for mental illness? A man, of course.

Mimi Galvin and six of her 12 children. Image courtesy of the Galvin family.

When it comes to psychiatry and brain science, moms haven’t had it easy. Autism once was blamed on “refrigerator mothers.” Obsessive-compulsive disorder used to be blamed on mothers who…