An analysis of Hamlet's madness

[butbreakmyheart]

Hamlet suffers from Bipolar II Disorder with Rapid-Cycling, which displays a mixture of depressive and hypomanic episodes. The depressive episodes can last for several weeks, while the hypomanic episodes tend to last for three to four days. Rapid Cycling is defined by the presence of at least four distinct episodes within a twelve month period.

During her depressive states, Hamlet experiences "feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt." (American Psychiatric Association, 327). She blames herself for things that aren't or couldn't be her fault, constantly feeling as though she owes some debt to the world she cannot live up to. There are times when she is suicidal, and while she hasn't made a serious attempt yet, she does have scars on her arms and thighs from self-inflicted wounds.

Hypomania is defined as being distinctly different from the depressive states, but not as extreme as a full manic episode. In other words, "a persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood … that is clearly different from the usual nondepressed mood." During her more antic moods, Hamlet tends to be "more talkative than usual or [feeling] pressure to keep talking," and has "flights of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing" (American Psychiatric Association, 338). She rambles and speaks in confusing sentences, making little sense. What sense she does make tends to be roundabout and convoluted. She is also easily aggravated, jumping quickly to accuse or to attack if she feels attacked.

On a more positive note, there is the time when she is able to get her work done. She pushes through hours of work or other activities at a time, catching up on everything she let fall aside while she was depressed. She can also be cheerful and pleasant to be around, if perhaps too full of energy.

Along with the hypomanic episodes, there is the possibility of auditory or visual hallucinations. Hamlet can be seen whispering to herself, or tilting her head to listen to something or someone who isn't there.