This collaborative project with designer Bradley Cunningham is an infographic based on archival research from The Athens Insane Asylum—most commonly known as The Ridges—with a focus on female patients admitted between 1874 and 1883 as our subject group. Throughout our research, we found that many female patients were often misunderstood by society and, as a result, were sent to insane asylums as a consequence of these misconceptions. Hence, the title “Madness and Misunderstanding.”

Our research highlights documented symptoms, causes of insanity, admissions by age group, and admissions by county. By translating historical records into visual form, the project seeks to make these narratives more accessible and thought-provoking. It aims to reveal how social expectations and gender norms of the time shaped perceptions of women’s mental health. This work not only examines patterns of institutionalization but also invites viewers to reflect on how societal attitudes toward mental health have changed—and how some challenges still resonate today.