Top 10 Awesome Men with Mental llnesses - Page [2/2]

5

Edgar Allan Poe

Known for his dark writings and tales of horror, Edgar Allen Poe was extremely interested in psychology. His fascination shows in his writings of madmen and psychological thrillers. But was he himself mad? A rival, Rufus Griswold, said so by publishing a libelous obituary in revenge for things Poe had written or said about him. Though Griswold’s account of Poe as a crazy man was dismissed, Poe may have had bipolar disorder. Poe was also known for his heavy drinking and once wrote in a letter that he had experienced suicidal thoughts. Poe once caused a sensation by writing a news story about a balloon trip across the ocean – later revealed as a hoax.

4

Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes was a brilliant aviator, movie producer, and business tycoon worth billions of dollars. He was also a crazy man suffering from a fear of germs. An article, Hughes’s Germ Phobia Revealed in Psychological Autoposy, published by the American Psychological Association in 2005 suggests that his phobia became so severe that it likely contributed to his codeine addiction and reclusiveness. Hughes had a lifelong pattern of withdrawing in times of stress. As an adolescent, he became paralyzed for no apparent physiological reason for several months. His fear of germs led to obsessive-compulsive behaviors, many of which he insisted his staff adopt (such as layering their hands with paper towels when serving food to him). Hughes was known to lay naked in dark “germ free” zones and wear tissue boxes on his feet in a bizarre attempt to protect them.

3

John Nash

Remember the movie, A Beautiful Mind? The real life subject of the movie, John Nash, is a mathematical genius and recipient of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Economics. He earned his doctorate from Princeton University and developed the Nash equilibrium theory. He also suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, hallucinations, delusions, and “voices.” He was committed to several psychiatric hospitals, always against his will, where he was treated with antipsychotic drugs and insulin shock therapy. Nash recovered gradually, eventually returning to teach math at Princeton University.

2

Ludwig Van Beethoven

One of the world’s most famous composers, Ludwig van Beethoven, is believed to have suffered from bipolar disorder. Beethoven was a prodigy who was both beaten and exploited by his father. The beatings may have led to his hearing loss later in life. Like many creative geniuses suffering from bipolar disorder, bursts of manic energy, intensity, and creativity were balanced by periods of darkness, loneliness, and depression. Like others suffering from the disorder, he self-medicated with drugs (opium) and alcohol.

1

Sir Isaac Newton

Undoubtedly one of the world’s most brilliant thinkers, Sir Isaac Newton invented calculus, developed the laws of motion, explained gravity, and built the first reflective telescope. He was also crazy. He was reportedly psychotic, hard to get along with, and prone to dramatic mood swings. Several authors have suggested that he suffered from bipolar disorder and was schizophrenic.

Though far from perfect, these crazy men have touched the world in some way. They’ve made us think, they’ve inspired, or they’ve made us appreciate the fragility of life which can be shattered like glass when mental illness is involved.

Source: http://listverse.com/

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