Many great people, whom today we call geniuses, have left their mark on history. Few people know that some of them, in their genius, coexisted closely with madness. This is unimaginable, because in the average person the word «schizophrenic» is drawn in the head of patients in straitjackets who are locked up in a psychiatric clinic. In fact, such people live among us: some have undergone therapy and achieved remission, others are only on the path of healing, and still others do not even know that they are sick. Perhaps among them there are also many geniuses, whose work we will learn a little later. Now we will talk about geniuses diagnosed with schizophrenia who heard different voices.
Notable schizophrenics with auditory hallucinations
Analyzing the life of many geniuses from different areas of activity, it becomes clear that they had obvious mental disorders. This becomes possible to identify thanks to the results of modern research on the disease. Let’s see which of the world’s geniuses suffered from schizophrenia and heard everything:
- Isaac Newton. He lived and worked with paroxysmal progressive schizophrenia. The scientist suffered from pathological forgetfulness. One day, he forgot to put out the candle at night, which caused a fire in the house. All his manuscripts and works were burned in the fire. After that, Newton became terrified that his new works would be stolen. He heard voices that told him that intruders were lurking around and they were waiting for an hour to take away all his achievements.
- Amanda Brines diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The American actress, who played in the films She’s the Man, Love on an Island, What a Girl Wants, suffered from bouts of paranoia. She always felt like she was being watched. She called the security service many times, reporting that there were bugs and hidden cameras in the door of her apartment.
- Charles IV — King of France with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. He had bouts of first incontinence and irritability, after which they developed into aggression. He heard voices and believed them. Because of this, the king constantly touched himself and thought that he was made of glass. He constantly wore armor on himself, as he was afraid to break and crumble.
- Ernest Hemingway diagnosed with schizophrenia. The writer received many injuries in fires, a plane crash, in war and even hunting. He managed to get away every time. But it left its mark on his psyche. The voices in his head told him to kill himself.
- Salvador Dali with a severe form of schizophrenia. His paintings speak for his diagnosis. The artist heard voices and saw different people, images, creatures. His hallucinations are well displayed in his paintings. At the same time, the paintings are real masterpieces of art and today they are ready to give millions for them, for the originals, because they are truly gorgeous.
There can be several reasons for the appearance of a mental disorder: intense, strenuous work without rest and normal sleep, heredity, or damage to the brain by toxic substances that artists, sculptors, and scientists worked with at that time.
What to consider?
It is worth noting that these individuals were not just geniuses, but real experts in their field. They knew exactly where they were going and what they wanted to achieve. At the same time, they had obvious signs and symptoms of the disease that only medical specialists, including psychiatrists, could deal with. And although all these people were studied by scientists, schizophrenia is still a disease from which it is unrealistic to get rid of in full. Alas, it is.