Manic and depressed mood-swing in age-old literature

Main Article Content

Marlies ter borg, Dr.

Abstract

“Himmelhoch jauchzend, zum Tode betrübt” is a well-known phrase associated with bipolar disorder. It fits into this anthology of literary quotes taken from various times and cultures; from the psalms of David, via Seneca and Dante to two 20th century female writers, who both committed suicide. I do not attempt to prove anything or to diagnose persons long dead. This anthology is simply to be read as a set of colourful, emotional illustrations of the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for bipolar disorder. It should be recognisable both for medical doctors and for those suffering from the disorder. These literary phrases can be used in a clinical setting to bridge the language gap between therapists and their patients, giving them a sense of belonging to an eminent family, thus enhancing their self-esteem.

Article Details

How to Cite
BORG, Marlies ter. Manic and depressed mood-swing in age-old literature. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 10, oct. 2024. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/5889>. Date accessed: 03 dec. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i10.5889.
Section
Articles

References

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders fifth edition, 2013
Bible. Psalm 6, 22, 38 and 148, - Ecclesiastes, 1-3, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson, 1975
Baudelaire, C. Les fleurs du mal, 1857 (The English translation ‘The flowers of evil’ is incorrect, the French word ‘Mal’ means illness as in ‘mal du tête’ = headache, The French word for evil is ‘le mauvais’)
Burton, N. Bipolar Disorder and Creativity, Psychology today 2024
Dante, A. The Divine Comedy, Inferno = Hell, 1321
Dickinson, E. The complete poems, London 1970
Euripides. Madness of Hercules, 4116 bce, transl. A.S. Way, Loeb Classical Library, London, 1971
Goethe, W. Egmont. A tragedy in five acts, 1788 - The Sorrows of Young Werther, 1774
Hankir, A. Review: bipolar disorder and poetic genius, Psychiatr Danub. 2011
Jamison, K.R., Touched with Fire, Manic-depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1993
Plath, S. The bell jar, 1967
Seneca, L.A. Hercules Furens, first century
Sophocles. Ajax, Transl. F. Storr, Loeb Classical Library, London, 1978,
Storr, A. Churchill’s black dog, Harper Collins 1989
Ter Borg, M. Bipolar creativity – a short history of a concept. -
Vincent Exuberance and Despair - Aristotle and DSM on ‘bipolar’melancholy
Medical Research Archives, May 2021, October 2022, October 2024
Bipolar creativity: through the ages, book Amazon – February 16, 2021
Woolf, V. Mrs Dalloway, 1925