Manic Depression and CreativityMany recognized geniuses had creative capacities that were driven by bouts of manic intensity followed by the depths of mind-numbing despair. From Plato, who originated the idea of inspired mania, to Beethoven, Dickens, Newton, Van Gogh, and today''s popular creative artists and scientists who''ve battled manic depression, this intriguing work examines creativity and madness in mystery, myth, and history. Demonstrating how manic depression often becomes the essential difference between talent and genius, Hershman and Lieb offer valuable insights into the many obstacles and problems this illness poses for highly creative people. Lieb critiques the wave of new books on depression as well as those on creativity to determine how far we have come in our understanding of this complex illness.The authors also explode the myth that suffering is essential to creativity. Guides for the manic depressive are suggested to reduce emotional pain and personal problems while increasing productivity.Julian Lieb, a psychiatrist in private practice and former director of the Dana Psychiatric Clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and D. Jablow Hershman authored Brotherhood of Tyrants: Manic Depression and Absolute Power. |
Contents
Preface | 1 |
A Dissection of Genius | 7 |
ManicDepression | 19 |
Newton | 39 |
Beethoven | 59 |
Dickens | 95 |
Van Gogh | 139 |
Diminishing Creativity | 177 |
Augmenting Genius | 197 |
Epilogue | 207 |
Bibliography | 217 |
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Common terms and phrases
agitated agitated depression alcohol antidepressants appear artist became become Beethoven began behavior Borinage brother career century Charles Charles Dickens Charles's child composer creative manic-depressives David Helfgott death delusions despair developed Dickens Dickens's died distraction drugs Ellen Ternan emotional energy England episodes everything excitement father feel fellow felt flight of ideas gave genius Gogh Goupil Gallery grandiose hallucinations hospital hypomania hypomanic insomnia intense irritable later letters live London mania and depression manic manic-depressive disorder Marilyn Marilyn Monroe melancholy mental illness mind months mood mood disorders mother musicians never Newton night pain painter painting paranoia period person play poet pressure of speech psychotic rage reading Robert Hooke Romantics Samuel Johnson sleep social sometimes success suffering suicide symptoms talent Theo things thought took Vincent walk wanted wife write wrote York