PS101 Lecture Notes - Vincent Van Gogh, Sylvia Plath, Albert Camus
Document Summary
A depression which is not severe enough to warrant the diagnosis of a major depression". Mood fluctuations/changes not severe enough to be diagnosed as bi-polar. How we interpret negative things in our lives may predispose us to depression. Internal global - permanent: external specific temporary. Extremely thin line between genius and madness. Madness: political implications, really creative geniuses. Prevalence if disorder in these people is very high. Those with mood disorders are able to synthesize. Trying to come to terms with the pain of his mental state. Madness might be a healthy thing, one becomes much less exclusive . Through madness he had the power to see and love everything, the power and control of colour. Madness promotes our well being, and integration. Transcendent quality of beauty in art, music and writing. We have the right to kill ourselves. Would-be suicide is in the deep state of ambivalence.
