Post by Mel on Jan 15, 2006 16:32:17 GMT -5
Manic-Depressive Illness and Creativity. .Jamison,KR,
Blake, Byron, Tenneyson, Poe; VanGogh, O'Keefe, Judging by DSM-IV criteria, it seems that these artist - and many others --suffered manic - depressive illness or major depression. Both are fairly common, very treatable and yet often lethal diseases. Major depression induces intense melancholic spells, whereas manic-depression, a strongly genetic disease, pitches patients repeatedly from depressed to hyperactive and euphoric, or intensely irritable, states. In its milder form, termed cyclothymia, it causes pronounced but not totally debilitating changes. Advanced cases are marked by (even more) dramatic, cyclic shifts." But to use the term 'mad genius' both trivializes the talent of these artists, and mocks the seriousness of the affective disorders .Many artists are moody, eccentric, energetic, intense, even accomplished, yet few of these are BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE or unipolar And being depressive or BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE does not guarantee one a special privilege in artistic talent., at least not necessarily so
DIAGNOSIS: True enough most artist are not cursed with mood disorder, and most mood disorder afflictees are not extraordinary artists. Major depression strikes as much as 5% of the population at some time in life, normally later, and women twice as often as men, BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE is considered to strike about 1% with men and women being equal candidates. 1/3 of those occurring before age 20. .. 60 - 80% of suicides have a history of one of these. Suicide ideation, inappropriate guilt, and self-blame are some of DSM-IV criteria. Extended duration and substantial interference with ones normal functioning, .are extended criteria for major depression. Grandiosity, poor judgment, irritability, impulsive behavior, and paranoia, hallucinations, and risk behavior causes serious consequences to the manic person. This chaos and instability causes difficulties in personal and social relationships, (until, eventually they are completely alienated from the rest of society).
RATES: But in the past 20 years a connection has been documented also with living artists. From 25 to 75% of artists in groups studied had had been treated for mood disorders of some type, especially among poets, where as many as 50% had been hospitalized or needed extensive care And there is 6 times the incidence of suicide than normal. Relatives of these groups also had a higher than normal incidence of creativity and of affective disorders. A study at Harvard tested non-artistic manic depressive patients and found significantly more creative abilities in them and their healthy relatives than normal. Bibliographical studies of 20th century artists show between 10-20 X the incidence rate for suicide than the normal population, and these artists, as a group, had 10 X the suicide rate of other manic depressives. , And about half of all the artists were afflicted with mood disorders . . .Studies also indicated they are several times more likely to have psychosis and other disorders than the normal high stress successful career and professional men. Poets in particular were 20 - 30 times more likely to have such illnesses, 20 X more likely to be multiple commitments to asylums and 5 X more likely to be suicides. While these various studies conclude different rates, they all point, defiantly to the same conclusion.
Scientific American Feb. 95;
Blake, Byron, Tenneyson, Poe; VanGogh, O'Keefe, Judging by DSM-IV criteria, it seems that these artist - and many others --suffered manic - depressive illness or major depression. Both are fairly common, very treatable and yet often lethal diseases. Major depression induces intense melancholic spells, whereas manic-depression, a strongly genetic disease, pitches patients repeatedly from depressed to hyperactive and euphoric, or intensely irritable, states. In its milder form, termed cyclothymia, it causes pronounced but not totally debilitating changes. Advanced cases are marked by (even more) dramatic, cyclic shifts." But to use the term 'mad genius' both trivializes the talent of these artists, and mocks the seriousness of the affective disorders .Many artists are moody, eccentric, energetic, intense, even accomplished, yet few of these are BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE or unipolar And being depressive or BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE does not guarantee one a special privilege in artistic talent., at least not necessarily so
DIAGNOSIS: True enough most artist are not cursed with mood disorder, and most mood disorder afflictees are not extraordinary artists. Major depression strikes as much as 5% of the population at some time in life, normally later, and women twice as often as men, BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE is considered to strike about 1% with men and women being equal candidates. 1/3 of those occurring before age 20. .. 60 - 80% of suicides have a history of one of these. Suicide ideation, inappropriate guilt, and self-blame are some of DSM-IV criteria. Extended duration and substantial interference with ones normal functioning, .are extended criteria for major depression. Grandiosity, poor judgment, irritability, impulsive behavior, and paranoia, hallucinations, and risk behavior causes serious consequences to the manic person. This chaos and instability causes difficulties in personal and social relationships, (until, eventually they are completely alienated from the rest of society).
RATES: But in the past 20 years a connection has been documented also with living artists. From 25 to 75% of artists in groups studied had had been treated for mood disorders of some type, especially among poets, where as many as 50% had been hospitalized or needed extensive care And there is 6 times the incidence of suicide than normal. Relatives of these groups also had a higher than normal incidence of creativity and of affective disorders. A study at Harvard tested non-artistic manic depressive patients and found significantly more creative abilities in them and their healthy relatives than normal. Bibliographical studies of 20th century artists show between 10-20 X the incidence rate for suicide than the normal population, and these artists, as a group, had 10 X the suicide rate of other manic depressives. , And about half of all the artists were afflicted with mood disorders . . .Studies also indicated they are several times more likely to have psychosis and other disorders than the normal high stress successful career and professional men. Poets in particular were 20 - 30 times more likely to have such illnesses, 20 X more likely to be multiple commitments to asylums and 5 X more likely to be suicides. While these various studies conclude different rates, they all point, defiantly to the same conclusion.
Scientific American Feb. 95;