Ludwig van Beethoven is a musical genius who was widely known for his countless musical compositions. The social life of Beethoven was an indication of both the mental and physical disorders that he endured throughout his adulthood life before he passed on at the age of 57. The most evident disorder which was known by everybody was Beethoven’s deafness. Many believe that this was as a result of parent abuse during his childhood. However, there are other behaviors that, for a long time, were not properly addressed and were most likely to be attributed to some psychological disorders. The aim of this paper will be to explore some of the mental behaviors exhibited by Beethoven in his life and to diagnose the possible cause of these behaviors. The paper will also recommend on the available treatment for the diagnosed psychotic disorders.
Most of his life, Beethoven was observed as a man of consistent depression. One of his violinist, a man by the name Louis Spohr stated that Beethoven suffered from continuous melancholy (Sonneck). This was echoed by Johann Tomaschek, an organist, who said that Beethoven was suffering from a melancholic turn of mind. In his letter to Karl Amenda in 1800, Beethoven confessed of his depression. He complained of such a sad life he was compelled to lead. He went ahead and claimed that he wish to die by his own hands (Mai, 2007). At times, Beethoven suffered from extreme anxiety. With these episodes of melancholy and anxiety, it is evident that Beethoven was suffering from depression. However, in most of his letter, Beethoven associated his sadness with his deafness and other physical diseases. It is true that some of his sadness was attributed to his deafness. However, it is evident that Beethoven has learnt to live with his disability and used it as an opportunity towards success.
Despite his manic episodes, Beethoven was observed to be paranoid. For example, he used to believe that his teacher was envious of his success. For this reason, Tomaschek referred to him as “ill-tempered, passionate” (Sonneck, 1926). Beethoven himself confessed that whenever he is provoked, he burst out more violently than any other person. (Beethoven, Kerst, & Krehbiel, 1964). It was not possible for Beethoven to sustain a single mood for a long period of time (Solomon, 1990). He was known to have episodes of mood swings and aggressive acts. Beethoven would sometime confess on how miserable he was at times. In his letter to Wegeler, Beethoven confessed that he was miserable the entire winter (Beethoven, 2014).
These characteristics of depression, consistent shifts in moods, anxiety, paranoia, and aggression can be attributed to bipolar disorder. From his social characteristics, we can conclude that Beethoven was suffering from bipolar. However, by then, there was no adequate medical facilities to diagnose and treat bipolar disorder. As a result, Beethoven resorted to drug abuse to calm his aggression and depression. Beethoven was known to be excessively using opium and alcohol. Some schools of thought believe that the excessive use of alcohol contributed to the liver disease which eventually killed him in the year 1827.
Bipolar disorder is basically treated by a combination of various mood stabilizing drugs. This can be combined with antipsychotics and regular psychotherapy. For example, Lithium carbonates have been observed to treat episodes of mania. However, it is not yet known by the doctors how this works. Lithium can also be used to treat depression, however, not as much as mania. For this reason, lithium is always provided together with other antidepressants. Valproic acid has also been used to treat instances of unstable mood. This drug is used together with antiepileptic. These drugs combined with continuous psychotherapy can be very effective in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Works Sited
Van Beethoven, L. (2014). Beethoven's letters (Vol. 1). Cambridge University Press.
Van Beethoven, L., Kerst, F., & Krehbiel, H. E. (1964). Beethoven, the man and the artist, as revealed in his own words. Courier Corporation.
Mai, F. M. (2007). Diagnosing genius: the life and death of Beethoven (p. xviii). McGill-Queen's University Press.
Solomon, M. (1990). Beethoven essays. Harvard University Press.
Sonneck, O. G. T. (1926). Beethoven: impressions by his contemporaries. Courier Corporation.
