I mean they have magic and love potions and luck potions, one would think that they could invent a pretty solid medication of some sort. But nah, instead you have people like Alice and Frank who have been in the hospital for years and are still no closer to recognizing their own son. And people like Bellatrix who are already unstable being carted off to a place (Azkaban) where sane people lose their shit.

Even if they did have a potion or spell to heal mental illness, it might not have worked in the Longbottoms' cause because their state was magically induced. It's a bit like how George's ear couldn't be healed after it was cursed of.

In regards to Bellatrix, I think by the time she'd come to the attention of anyone in authority, she'd already committed horrendous crimes. Anything but lifetime imprisonment would have been seen as letting her off easily.

Another example of poor mental health treatment is how Harry was regarded after Rita Skeeter's last article about him and in the fifth book.

It might not have worked in the Longbottoms' cause because their state was magically induced.

That's a very good point. Makes me wonder how much magic can actually do to help cure magic related ailments. It seems like some magical damage can be fixed with more magic and/or potions but other ailments can't. I'd love to know more about which is which and why.

I guess that's another kind of saddish thing in my opinion; she and Sirius both came out of an abusive family. In fact that family kind of has a chain of abuse it's crazy how no one noticed and/or intervened. Perhaps they were just afraid because the Blacks were a powerful family?

To add one more example; young Tom Riddle pretty much told Dumbledore that he was a sadist in HBP (during that flashback scene) and yet he didn't intervene nor see it as a red flag.

Is it that curse or Dark magic induced damage can't be healed, but lesser damage can? That follows the pattern of the few examples I can think of on the spot, anyway. For example, the bones in Harry's arm could be regrown after Lockhart accidentally removed them, but that was the result of a botched healing attempt not a curse.

I read it as the Blacks were so powerful, rich and well-regarded, no one ever thought they could do anything wrong. Or no one in power did, anyway.

That's probably it; I mean in real life there are damages that simply can't be fixed yet no matter what science does. But that example is really good; like accidents are much easier to fix than purposeful ill intent. And dark magic probably does have harder to mend properties.

That's sort of what I had in mind when I said 'just afraid because they were a powerful family'. Basically they have so much money, power, and influence they could 'do no wrong'. It's probably a combination of reasons.

Awww the longbottoms

^ Right though. I do feel bad for them.

It does not seem they have anything set up for it they just seem to lock them away like in the middle ages. You think they at less get some meds from the muggles and treatment ideas.

^ Pretty much though. Honestly it seems like they don't even use muggle meds and treatment ideas.

I've now reconsidered my earlier comment about the Longbottoms' mental damage being curse inflicted. It was actually trauma from extensive torture, and I don't think it'd make a difference that the torture was magically induced.

^I think a lot of the pureblood families would look down on Muggle medications and treatments simply because they come from the Muggle world. Even Molly was sceptical about the idea of stitches.

That's true.Which then (for me) begs the question is the vast majority of the wizarding world a purist society? I mean if they automatically assume muggle treatment options are insufficient.

It did seem that way. Or that those with purist opinions were in power, anyway. That was one of Dumbledore's main criticisms of the MoM, that it put too much focus on blood purity.

It's pretty crazy because that would mean in a way it's the Ministry's own fault that Voldemort was able to do so much damage; they enabled the pure blood families to promote their hatred because they themselves held it. And they themselves may have even supported Voldemort's cause a little.

totally agree