Bipolar Disorder

I will be less American-centric in this post.

Many experts in the mental health field, as well as ardent Plath historians, have largely come to the conclusion that Sylvia Plath most likely suffered from bipolar disorder. This kind of diagnosis would not have been available to Plath in her lifetime (the very term "bipolar disorder" has only been around for a couple decades), nor would she have had access to the myriad treatments and therapies available today. Shock therapy was one of the more popular treatments at that time, and you'll notice that Esther's psychiatrist first turns to shock therapy before anything else. Today, shock therapy is still in use, but only after having exhausted almost all other options. The only other major option for treatment in the 1950s would have been lithium, but that was a very new medication. I don't recall lithium being mentioned in The Bell Jar, nor do I remember hearing anything about Plath using lithium, but it is possible that she took it at some point.

If you read carefully, you might notice some symptoms of bipolar disorder in Esther. At the beginning of the novel, Esther is prone to going on shopping sprees and buying expensive clothing. She associates with the most troublesome girl in the group, goes drinking with unfamiliar people at unfamiliar places, and eats excessively. While she is in New York, it's clear that Esther is experiencing mania. Mania is depression's counterpart, and as such characterizes a state of heightened mood and activity. Her impulsive behavior is very typical for a bipolar person on the manic side of the spectrum. Also, her opinions of the other girls are very telling signs of her artificially bolstered self-esteem, another symptom of mania.

After Esther leaves New York, her behavior flips. Now faced with the prospect of living at home with her mother after the glow and trauma of New York, Esther withdraws. She is no longer able to engage in enjoyable activities, like reading, writing, or hanging out with friends. She's unable to make decisions about the short-term, let alone the long-term. She can't sleep. Her dreams for the future dim into regressively auspicious plans until she has no plans at all, and she hopes for death. It goes without saying that these are all sure signs of depression.

It's interesting that so many writers have retroactively been diagnosed with some sort of psychosis. It is peculiar how madness seems most at home in creative people, but what I find most interesting is how these people found the willpower to create art in the midst of their turmoil.

Sorry for my tardiness. No excuses. Except that I fell asleep watching PBS.