Approximately 1% of the world's population is believed to suffer from some form of bipolar disorder, ranging from mild to severe. Statistically, men and women are equally represented. About 1 in 5 people with bipolar disorder eventually commit suicide. This is 30 times higher than that of the general population! Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness. It is a brain disorder that causes changes in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. What happens when a person suffers from bipolar disorder is that they go through current episodes of mania and major depression. Unlike the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are very severe. A person with this disease may have mood swings ranging from a very high point (mania) to a very low point (depression) and can usually have periods of normal mood in between. Some people may have symptoms of both mania and depression at the same time, while others may have only mild symptoms of mania. These symptoms worsen and usually result in damaged relationships, poor work or school performance, and even suicide. The only good thing about bipolar disorder is that it can be cured and people suffering from this disease can recover and lead a happy life. In most cases, bipolar disorder develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. Some people first experience symptoms in childhood, while others develop them later in life. It is very difficult to recognize bipolar disorder as an illness, so people can suffer from it for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. The symptoms of mania are; increased energy, increased activity, restlessness, racing thoughts, rapid speech, euphoria, irritability, distractibility, decreased sleep requirement, poor judgment, increased sexual desire, denial, excessive spending, and risky behavior. The symptoms of depression are; persistently sad or empty mood, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities, decreased energy, feeling tired, difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering or making decisions, change in appetite or weight, thoughts of death and suicide. It has been studied and discussed for more than 200 years now. People believe that there is some sort of link between depression and creativity. This is what Kay Redfield Jamison, a psychologist, writes about in her novel; Touched by fire. This book is about being more or less affected, in particular about manic-depressive illness - a disease of disturbed cheerfulness, melancholy and tumultuous temperaments - and its relation to artistic temperament and imagination. When artists are in a depressed or manic state, they cannot express their creativity. Their expression is inhibited because the person has no control over their actions. But during this period the mind is exposed to many thoughts and ideas. When the person has a more stable mood, insights gained while manic or depressed are used and result in an explosion of creativity. One of the first studies on the creativity/mood disorder link was completed by University of Iowa psychiatrist Nancy C. Andreason. It compared 30 creative writers at the University of Iowa with 30 people working regular jobs. He found that 80% of writers said they had experienced manic-depressive illness or depressionhigher, while only 30% of people in non-creative jobs did so. In the late 1980s, before she even wrote her book, Kay Jamison also examined the connection. He studied 47 painters, sculptors, playwrights and poets, all of whom had received high praise in their fields. Jamison found that 38% of performers had been treated for a mood disorder. In the general population only 1% of people report manic-depressive episodes and about 5% report major depression at some point in their lives. Both of these studies have been criticized for two reasons. First, both researchers studied very few people, so they don't represent a sufficient percentage of the population. Second, both researchers interviewed the artists themselves or asked the artists to fill out questionnaires. They may have been biased or the artists may have misrepresented their mental state. A third study was conducted by Arnold M. Ludwig. For 10 years he studied the lives of 1004 men and women from diverse fields including art, music, science, sports, politics and business. He read 2,200 biographies and argued that biographers were less likely than psychiatrists to believe that artists had mental illnesses. Biographers are also known to gather information about their subjects from many different sources, so it would be more difficult to judge artists by their mental state. Ludwig's study was published in a book titled; The price of greatness: Resolving the controversy over creativity and madness. He concluded it; members of the artistic or creative arts professions as a whole suffer from more types of mental difficulties and do so for longer periods of their lives than members of other professions. It also found that, as teenagers, between 29% and 34% of future artists and musicians suffered from symptoms of mental illness. By comparison, only 3% to 9% of future scientists, athletes and businesspeople have suffered from similar symptoms. As adults, between 59% and 77% of artists, writers and musicians suffered from mental illness, compared to only 18% and 29% of other professionals. Ludwig's findings seemed to agree with the link between mental illness and artistic temperament. Why this link exists is something that researchers, including Jamison, have explored further. I guess mood disorders allow people to think more creatively. Additionally, people with mood disorders experience many deep emotions that can lead to deeper thinking and therefore creativity. The artistic achievements of approximately 16% of the artists, writers and musicians he studied improved their work when emerging from mental turmoil. However, Ludwig believes that other factors also contribute to the high rate of mood disorders among artists. He argues that people in many professions, including sports, politics and business, are extremely creative. He thinks more people in artistic professions have mental illnesses because those professions are more accepting of mental illness. As a result of his studies, Ludwig believes that people with mental illnesses are naturally attracted to the artistic profession. Still others believe that artistic pursuits cause more severe symptoms of mental illness. Artists, musicians and writers often work alone, so when they start to feel upset or depressed, they don't have as much support and encouragement compared to people who work in groups or with a partner. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article template now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Between 60% and 80% of people who commit suicide suffer from mood disorders. Many??