"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."
Vincent Van Gogh is one of the world’s most famous painters from the nineteenth century. He was the oldest of five brothers, born on March 30, 1853 to Theodorus Van Gogh, a minister, and Anna Cornelia, a moody artist. Vincent’s work of art has been known for its emotion, beauty, and color. Two of the most renowned paintings of Van Gogh are Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers and The Starry Night. Despite of his success and fame in today’s world, Vincent Van Gogh was struggling throughout his whole life. Looking at all of the recorded documents of his behaviors in the past, I believe that it is justifiable to diagnose Vincent Van Gogh with bipolar II disorder.
Bipolar
disorder is a psychological illness marked by alternating periods of mania and
depression. Bipolar II disorder is one in which the disorder is driven by
depression instead of mania. Looking through a biopsychosocial approach, the
biological aspect that caused his disorder might have came from his mother who was a
moody artist. However, I believe that the most prominent cause to his illness
is through sociocultural factors, which included his family relationships
and socioeconomic status. Vincent Van Gogh was born exactly one year after his
parents’ first son was stillborn. His mother never recovered from the death of
her first child, and due to that reason, she had trouble forming bonds with her
sons. Even after Vincent’s fame, his mother considered his work of art to be
rubbish. Hence, Vincent Van Gogh felt rejected by his own mother. In addition
to that, Vincent was rejected by the three women he came to love throughout his
lifetime. It is safe to say that rejection is something he was familiar with.
Looking through the socioeconomic status, Vincent’s family fell into financial
difficulties when he was only fifteen years of age, which forced him to leave
school and get a job. He was a failed art dealer, and he depended on his
younger brother, Theo, to support him. He, then, pursued his passion
to be an artist, yet only one of his paintings got sold in the course of his
lifetime. I assume that because of these environmental factors did Van Gogh
develop his bipolar II disorder.
Focusing
on the symptoms, Vincent Van Gogh engaged in peculiar behaviors. For example,
he liked to punish himself if he did something wrong; he would skip meals, or
spend the night outside instead of in his room. When he was working, he would
isolate himself and go on for days without eating and spent all of his money to
get painting supplies. It became more deranged when he started to eat paint.
However, it was during these periods did he become highly creative and
productive. It was during these episodes did he feel balanced and sane. Other
than those times, he would engage in depressive manners that led to self-harm.
For example, there was an instance where he had a fight with his best friend,
and he threatened to leave Van Gogh and never see him again. Feeling rejected
once again, Van Gogh became stressed out and depressed, and gradually, cut off
his own ear. His depression got very extreme that he shot himself and died on
July 29, 1890 at the age of 37.
If
Vincent Van Gogh is still alive today, the treatment that would be suitable for
his bipolar II disorder is through biomedical approach. We can start off by giving
him SSRI drugs, which have the fewest side effects. If that does not work, we
can try prescribing him with different antidepressant drugs, but we have to
consider Van Gogh’s medical health to avoid any unwanted side effects. Another
possible option is through electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), where we shock the
brain. Per contra, the side effect can be the loss of memory. Nevertheless, it
is still something to consider, taking in mind all of the behaviors he engaged in
that had threatened his own life.
"I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process."
