Many people with different mental disorders have been great contributers to science, entertainment, art and politics.
Here are a couple more examples of people that have changed the world.
Isaac Newton's greatest mathematical discovery was the gravitational relationship between the earth and the moon, and of centrifugal force. He suffered from several nervous breakdowns in his life and was known for great fits of rage towards anyone who disagreed with him which some have labeled Bipolar Disorder which was unknown at the time.
Ludwig van Beethoven, composer, had bipolar disorder which some have said gave him such creative power that his compositions broke the mold for classical music forever. He was a child prodigy which his father tried to exploit. His 'manic' episodes seemed to fuel his creativity.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of U.S. suffered from severe and debilitating and on occasion suicidal depressions, as recorded by Carl Sandburg in his comprehensive six-volume biographical analysis of his life. "A tendency to melancholy" Lincoln once wrote in a letter to a friend, "...let it be observed, is a misfortune, not a fault." The most amazing part of his story was the sheer determination with which he willed himself to overcome his serious affliction and still achieve all he was able to achieve for our young and troubled nation at war with itself.
Vincent Van Gogh, famous painter and artist was labeled peculiar with unstable moods most of his short life. He suffered from epileptic seizures some believe from excesses of absinthe, very strong liquor popular among talented people for inspiring greater creativity. Many have tried to give a definitive diagnosis of his illness through reading his personal letters. From them it seems clear that his depressive states were also accompanied by manic episodes of enormous energy and great passion. Van Gogh committed suicide at age 37.
Discussion Topic
Favorite artist, musician or actor with a mental illness?
Posted on 06/09/08, 03:53 pm
I posted this in the bipolar group, and had some interesting discussion! I want to know who is your favorite artist, musician, actor, etc.. that has been influential and creative at the same time living with a mental disorder? Some of my personal favorites are Robin Williams, Kurt Vonnegut Jr, Kurt Cobain and Ernest Hemingway. Who are yours and why?
Here are wikipedia lists of people with depression and bipolar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...
Here are wikipedia lists of people with depression and bipolar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...
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Reply #1 06/09/08 4:08pm
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Reply #2 06/09/08 5:55pm
Corinna Fugate is mine either that or Evanescence. -
Reply #3 06/09/08 5:56pm
Not sure Evanescence has it sorry. -
Reply #4 06/11/08 9:22pm
Trent Reznor? I love him! Didn't know that. -
Reply #5 06/18/08 1:07pm
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is amazing. I love his work.
I love Sinead O'Connor. She was victimized by a society in denial when she tried to start a war on child abuse. I don't think I could have survived the ordeal. I hope she gets to see the progress made in her life time. She deserves it. -
Reply #6 08/04/08 12:23am
KURT COBAIN -
Reply #7 08/05/08 5:12am
hhmmm....fav. artist ! My favourtie artist, actor, musician is MYSELF and EVERYTHING around me. -
Reply #8 08/07/08 10:38am
I understand that the Wikipedia list is not exhaustive; however, I was shocked that neither Virginia Wolff or Marcel Proust were listed as artists suffering from depression. -
Reply #9 08/07/08 11:45am
Emily, you gave me an idea to start another discussion to try to come up with all the famous people we know that have a mental illness. http://dailystrength.org/groups/ev... -
Reply #10 09/01/08 1:17am
Ben Stiller, noted for having Bipolar disorder.
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