I think people had more empathy for the mentally ill before the advent of science or religion.

Science will reduce and dehumanize all that makes that human to a nameless patient file while trying to fix the issues.

Religion might demonize and ostracize.

I feel that before all of this because there was no explanation, the mentally ill were just treated as having a different mindset. I mean.. if we tried to "fix" all the artists that have lived, the world would be a much bleaker and empty place without their art.