Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Was Sherlock Holmes Bipolar?


“I have usually found that there was method to his madness.”

“Some folk might say there was madness in his method,” muttered the Inspector.”  -- “The Adventure of the Reigate Square”
Readers in modern times can’t help but wonder, when reading the Arthur Conan Doyle stories, if Sherlock Holmes suffered from bipolar disorder.

One reason why the public is so fascinated with Sherlock Holmes since his first appearance in 1887 is his quirky behavior.  Doyle made a fully formed heroic character complete with very real flaws.  Readers in modern times can’t help but wonder, when reading the Doyle stories, if Sherlock Holmes suffered from bipolar disorder.

Holmes’ Symptoms

Holmes could go for days without sleep when he was focused on a case.  Going for days with very little sleep is a common symptom on bipolar disorder.  Holmes could also be terribly depressed when a case ends.  In “The Adventure of the Reigate Square” Holmes is so depressed at the end of a case that he takes to his bed.  Watson then takes him on holiday to try and make him well again.

Bipolar patients are often very creative.  In the modern world, bipolar patients can function quite well in many types of jobs, such as acting, writing and mathematics.  Holmes’ different way of thinking is vastly different from the average person.  He uses his imagination to help solve cases.  He even chides some policemen for their lack of imagination.  His creative thinking helps make him the world’s greatest detective.

Problems with Modern Diagnosis

It’s very difficult to place modern diagnostic criteria on someone from the past, and a fictional character at that.  It is known that Doyle often used real people to help inspire his stories.  Holmes himself was based on many people, including Doyle himself and one of Doyle’s past teachers from the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Joseph Bell.  Neither Bell nor Doyle are thought by historians to be bipolar.

Bipolar disorder was not recognized in Doyle’s times.  Medical personnel from Greek times and in the Roman Empire wrote about patients that today would seem to be bipolar.  Aretaeus of Cappadocia, writing during the time of Emperor Nero, would “laugh, dance and play” one day and soon after would be “torpid, dull and sorrowful.”  It wasn’t until the 1950s until the disease received the name of manic depression.  By the 1990s, this term was largely replaced with the name bipolar disorder.

Holmes’ Cocaine Addiction

Another complication is Holmes’ cocaine addiction.  Cocaine (spelled “cocaine” in Doyle’s day) was originally thought to be a beneficial painkiller.  By 1887, it was well known in England that cocaine was dangerously addictive.  However, cocaine was still widely available.  Holmes injected it directly into his veins.

Cocaine is known to cause psychological problems, especially paranoia, hallucinations and suicidal behavior.  However, Holmes rarely displayed any of these symptoms.  It could be that Doyle was only vaguely familiar with cocaine addiction rather than trying to suggest that Holmes suffered from a severe mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

In Conclusion

It’s impossible to know if Sherlock Holmes was intended to suffer from a mental illness like manic depression.  The disease went unrecognized in Doyle’s lifetime.  He certainly exhibited some signs that correspond with that of a bipolar patient.  It could be that Doyle selected some bizarre behaviors he noticed from people he knew in order to make his detective more interesting to the reader.

Modern portrayals of Holmes often show him as suffering from a mental illness.  Since more is known about mental illness, these symptoms are more apparent in modern versions than in Doyle’s original stories.  Still, this hasn’t stopped psychiatrists and Sherlockians from debating on the riveting character traits of Sherlock Holmes.
References:



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/magazine/06diagnosis-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

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