SLS Web Magazine

The early Greeks believed that mortal creators were inspired by a divine madness. This belief, that genius feeds on mental turmoil, is still with us today. A few names that support the idea are Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemmingway, and Robert Lowell. But not all creative geniuses are emotionally unstable. Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, and Fred Astaire, for example, achieved great things with perfect sanity as well. Moreover, most people who suffer from mental illness or mood disorders show little evidence of creativity. It can be concluded, therefore, that mental instability is not an absolute prerequisite for creative achievement. Genius and madness are not necessarily wedded.

MENTAL DISTURBANCE AND ARTISTS

The incidence of mental disturbance among creative artists is higher than among any other group of people in society. In the social, business, and investigative professions, the rate of mental disturbance ranged from 39% to 49%. Yet the rate was 72% among the artistic professions. Alcoholism and depression were widespread among artists, composers, entertainers, and writers. Poets are more likely, furthermore, to experience mania and psychoses. It follows from these statistics that there is a high correlation between artistic talent and mental disturbance. Creative achievement has some kinship with mental disturbance.

MENTAL DISTURBANCE AND CAREER

Creative people whose work relies on precision, reason, and logic are apparently less prone to mental disturbance than those whose work relies on emotional expression and subjective experience. Within each artistic field, this distinction holds true. Writers of fiction, for example, have higher rates of mental illness than non-fiction writers. Improvisational jazz musicians and rock composers have more emotional problems than classical and traditional musicians. Social scientists use more mental health care than natural scientists. These examples show that reason is a sturdier platform on which to base a career than emotion.

TEMPLATE FOR GREATNESS

Persons destined for greatness usually show several characteristics in their youth. These characteristics can be called the "template for greatness." Some of the traits found among the great are: (1) Early signs of giftedness: Fred Astaire danced professionally at five. (2) Special parenting and mentoring: Receiving support from parents and finding a mentor. (3) Contrariness: resentful of authority and authority figures, including parents. (4) Capacity for solitude: avoiding groups or group efforts in business, politics, or the military. (5) Physical vulnerability: tendency towards frailty or sickliness. (6) A personal seal: emblazoning works with a personal seal or professional signature. (7) Drive for dominance: an unyielding drive for supremacy, added to boundless self-confidence. (8) Psychological unease: tendency towards restlessness and impatience. These elements are found among the great, but few people have all of them. Greatness is a recipe that involves many ingredients.

AUTISTIC BRAINS

Autism is a disorder that consists of stereotyped repetitive behavior, deficiencies in language, and apparent inability to recognize and communicate emotions. New Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies of the brains of autistic boys and men peer into what the brain of these persons is like. The studies show that autistic brains are enlarged, as well as the fluid-filled cavities known as ventricles. Twenty-two autistic patients in their teens and 20´s were compared with twenty-two normal volunteers the same age. Nearly 90% of the normal volunteers had smaller brains than the autistic ones. Height, age, or performance on IQ tests made no difference. Autistic brains are anomalous brains.

BIPOLAR II DISORDER

In bipolar II disorder, depression alternates with hypomania (moderate elation) rather than mania. These persons were found to be moodier, angrier, and more suspicious, self-pitying, insecure, and socially withdrawn. Bipolar II responds well to monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) for the depressed phase of the illness. This medication, however, is not the drug of choice for regular depression. Bipolar II also features a more persistent instability of mood.

A SEROTONIN MARKER FOR SUICIDE

There is growing evidence of an association between suicidal tendencies and a low level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. A breakdown product of 5-HT, or serotonin, is found to be low in depressed patients who were suicidal, whereas this product was not as low in those patients who were merely depressed. The conclusion that low levels of serotonin cause suicide, however, is not altogether proven to be true. Serotonin levels and mental illness continue to remain obscure.

PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR METHADONE PATIENTS

A new study found expressive psychotherapy effective for persons using methadone. Methadone is prescribed for persons addicted to cocaine as a safe way to satisfy their craving. Persons that used psychotherapy, as well as drug counseling, fared better than those who used drug counseling alone. Perhaps some future program that brings psychotherapy to drug abusers would be helpful.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARKINSON´S DISEASE AND DEPRESSION

Parkinson´s disease is a neurological disorder. Its symptoms are tremors and rigidity in the arms and legs and slowness of limb movements. Mood and intellectual functioning are also affected; about 40% of those with Parkinson´s have symptoms of dementia. The depression that is associated with Parkinson´s involves sadness and hopelessness, but guilt is rare. Thoughts of suicide are common too, but suicide attempts are rare, as well as delusions. Depression associated with Parkinson´s may be treated with nortriptyline (Pamelor) or fluoxetine (Prozac). The battle against Parkinson´s will be won someday.

PERSONALITY DISORDERS: THE ANXIOUS CLUSTER

Individual personality is defined by attitudes and behavior that persist over time. A personality type is regarded as a disorder when the traits of a personality are inflexible and damaging. The "anxious cluster" of personality disorders includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality. The anxiety in avoidant personality is related to rejection and humiliation. In dependent personality, the anxiety is related to separation and abandonment. In compulsive personality it is related to uncertainty about the future. Avoidant personalities are hesitant, tense, fearful, self-deprecating and hypersensitive to social rejection. In dependent personalities, the dominant feature is a need to be cared for rather than a fear of rejection. Dependent personalities are docile and ingratiating. Obsessive-compulsive personalities are orderly, stingy, stubborn, and sometimes irritable and vindictive as well. They pay close attention to rules, procedures, and details. They also focus on work to an extreme degree, and may even regard some hobbies as jobs. Most of these characteristics in the anxious cluster are ego syntonic--that is, compatible with a person´s self-image and not easily recognized as a problem. Further study will bring a better appreciation of these personality types

HOW THE BRAIN GOES OUT OF ITS MIND

Four or five times a night people enter REM sleep. This is the stage of sleep that involves dreaming. Some researchers regard this as actually a form of being psychotic. The sleeper sees things which are not there (hallucinations), believes things that could not possibly be true (delusions), and becomes utterly confused about times, places, and persons (disorientation). Finally almost everything is forgotten upon awaking, which can be taken as amnesia. Yet this nocturnal "madness" is not only normal but probably essential to our health; animals deprived of REM sleep die. Dreamers are totally absorbed by the dream and exercise no conscious choice within it. Dreaming, therefore, is akin to the delirium found in psychosis.

A TALE OF TWO STIMULANTS

The stimulant drugs methylphenidate (Ritalin) and cocaine are similar in many ways. Both inhibit the reabsorption of dopamine at the same regions of the brain. Despite this similarity, however, Ritalin is considered a safe treatment for children with attention deficit disorder. The difference between these chemicals lies in their being cleared from the brain. When compared in trials involving eight men, Ritalin´s peak concentration lasted for 15 to 20 minutes, whereas cocaine was at its peak concentration for only 2 to 4 minutes. Additionally, 50% of the cocaine was cleared within 20 minutes, but 50% of the Ritalin took up to 90 minutes to clear. Both chemicals produce a sensation of pleasure, but since Ritalin remains in the brain longer, additional doses do not bring any pleasure while it is still there. Cocaine, on the other hand, clears quicker, and therefore pleasure from another dose can be obtained. Stimulants used in moderation are somewhat effective.

RE-VISIONING LIGHT TREATMENT

Bright light supplied by screens or light boxes is a well-known treatment for seasonal affective disorder (winter depression). This technique has been revamped now with a new piece of technology. A visor worn directly over the eyes that emits bright light or dim red light has proven to help people with seasonal affective disorder. Whether the light was bright or dim from these visors, 40% of the people treated showed improvement.

BENZODIAZEPINE DEPENDENCE

The drugs prescribed for anxiety, such as Xanax or Ativan, may have an ability to cause withdrawal symptoms, but have a fairly low potential for abuse and addiction. The tendency towards abuse or addiction is fostered by the patients being allowed to take the drug when they need it. This practice tends to allow the patients to take the drug more frequently than necessary. The users did report that the drug was continuously effective when used this way, adding to their developing an addiction. The conclusion to be drawn is that drugs prescribed for anxiety should be closely monitored. Anxiety drugs are not Aspirin.

THE VIRTUES OF MULTIPLE-FAMILY GROUPS

A study by Columbia University indicated that group therapy with six families and two therapists is more effective than therapy with a single family and one therapist. Treatment consisted of videotapes and lectures on schizophrenia, advice on coping with problems, and training in problem-solving strategies. Relapse was much less common in the multiple family groups. In multiple family groups the rate of relapse was 31%, whereas the SFT relapse rate was 48%. Gathering together brings understanding and treatment strategies.