Dorothea Dix's mother was mentally ill, which caused her parents to have problems. At the age of 12 dorothea went to her grandmothers house with her brothers. In about 2 years she opened a school.It was a very strict school. Soon dorothea helped people in a prison and such and found out that people were being caged and not given any sort of medicine to them and so she wanted to get involved. Always thinking about her mother and her having this illness which pushed her to do her best to help.