The misery of madness

The condition known simply as “madness” has plagued people for centuries. Prehistoric cultures thought madness was the work of evil spirits or demons who took control of the body. Early Greek and Chinese cultures believed the evil spirits could be conquered through prayer, flogging, starvation, or purging. Purging involved drinking a horrible tasting potion in order to expel the evil from the body. It didn’t work.

King George III, most commonly known as the mad king who lost the colonies, suffered from mood swings and manic episodes. There were times when the King would speak for hours at a time and have convulsions. He was moody and unpredictable. One of the King’s treatments included placing leeches on his temples to suck the madness from his brain. Some historians claimed the king did not suffer from madness but a blood disorder called porphyria. Today, physicians believe the King was suffering from a combination of depression and bi-polar disorder.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, suffered from “melancholy,” and was often moody. He became deeply depressed when his first love, Anna Rutledge, died of typhoid fever. Several years later, Lincoln and Mary Todd were engaged. During a split in their relationship, Lincoln’s friends quietly removed all guns and knives from his surroundings. Eventually, the love-birds made up and were married. However, Lincoln continued to have episodes of melancholy and suicidal thoughts, one cause may have been the Battle of Antietam, that left 23,000 soldiers killed, wounded, or missing after 12 hours of savage combat.

Winston Churchill complained to his friends that he was hounded by the “black dog of depression.” Churchill often contemplated suicide and refused to stand near the edge of the train platform if an express train was going through. He would stand with his back to a pillar. He also suffered unpredictable mood swings and would stay up all night writing. He wrote 43 books.

World-famous comedian Robin Williams had an extraordinary mind. His quick-witted ad-libs made audiences laugh. The successful comic genius suffered from depression complicated by drug addiction. He committed suicide at the age of 63.

Successful, intelligent, and talented people suffer from mental health issues. Heroic soldiers, suffering from PTSD, are unable to function and live on the streets or in homeless shelters. Many homeless people are lost in a world of depression and anxiety and turn to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate, to dull the pain and keep the demons at bay.

Mental health issues include a wide range of conditions, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, paranoia, even hallucinations and dementia. There are many causes that can affect mental health, childhood abuse, neglect, trauma, loneliness, the death of a loved one — and the list goes on.

There is no known cure, but there are health care professionals who can offer medical treatments. Trained service dogs offer comfort and can help people struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder and interrupt the negative thought-loops of bipolar mania. Music can provide relaxation and help diminish insomnia. Listening to music releases endorphins, hormones that can reduce stress levels.

Life is unpredictable. Some days are filled with joy, other days are just crazy. Don’t let life get you down — get help.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The South Carolina Dept. of Mental Health has a statewide mobile crisis service available 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing mental health issues, call (833) 364-2274 to arrange for help and an assessment. For the mental health crisis hotline, dial or text, 988.

Lynda suffers from anxiety. She can be reached at lyndaabegg@charter.net. Opinions expressed in this column represent those of the writer only and are not necessarily shared by the newspaper.