The Bell Jar vs. The Bell Curve: Bipolar Disorder and Savant Syndrome

"My mom was being like...so Bipolar. She took away my phone for no reason."

Oh.

So the speaker of this quote is implying her mother has a debilitating, life-long, and incurable mental illness that requires careful moderation and treatment including: pharmaceuticals, talk therapy, and most likely, hospitalization. Because she took away her phone. Really? That's an insult?

Despite popular notions regarding Bipolar Disorder--or, in its archaic term, Manic Depression--has very little to do with being a "bitch" or being "moody." Bipolar Disorder is characterized by periods of Mania and Depression. Bipolar Disorder makes an individual's life exceptionally more challenging than by those unaffected by the illness.

By what constitutes Mania? And isn't everyone a little depressed?

Mania--according to the most updated Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5)--is characterized by elevated feelings of pleasure, a decreased need for sleep, and an inflated sense of self-importance. Individuals with Bipolar Disorder might feel agitated, self-absorbed, or "invincible." They might even have delusional thoughts (i.e. being a god, being capable of extreme tasks/workloads, etc.) or hallucinations.

And then it's over. And Depression takes over. Lying in bed. Contemplating suicide. Binge-eating (and in some cases, purging/restricting). Loss of friends. Loss of pleasure. Loss of will. Loss of job. Loss of straight A's. Loss of self-esteem. Loss of life. The only things one can gain from the Depressive states of Bipolar Disorder are experience and probably a couple of pounds.

Cycling between Mania and Depression (and in some cases, hypomania and mixed episodes) is debilitating, painful, and confusing. Moreover, the effects of Bipolar Disorder on its patients definitely warrants the association of their talent(s) with Savant Syndrome.

Bipolar individuals face challenges throughout their entire life. Parents of Bipolar children often struggle with behavior issues. Bipolar students struggle with extreme fluctuations in cognitive ability, heightened sensitivity to criticism, and an impaired ability to plan, organize, or concentrate within the school system. Bipolar adults struggle to keep jobs, pay bills, and maintain social formalities. Then about 20% of them kill themselves.

Well, that sucks.

But Bipolar Disorder isn't all bad. Bipolar individuals often have intense senses of creativity, empathy, and sensitivity. When manic, Bipolar individuals see, smell, taste, and hear the world at the loudest possible volume. As idealistically as possible. Individuals such as: Sylvia Plath, Vincent van Gogh, John Clare, Kurt Cobain, Frank Sinatra, and Virginia Woolf are all thought to have been affected by the disorder.

Thousands of people in America are affected by this disorder. And they're unaware of their possible exceptional talents. This is untapped potential. Where are we going wrong?

The Bell Curve. Take a gander at this "beauty":

(centerforpubliceducation.org)

The Bell Curve represents a theory that assumes most of American students are "destined" to fall right in the middle. That pukey orange average. 

That's all fine and dandy, but how is a Bipolar student supposed to conform to such a caustic shape when their performance levels look more like this?

(corbisimages.com)

Yes, that graph serves two purposes 1.) to illustrate the dynamic, ever-changing nature of a Bipolar student's performance levels and 2.) to juxtapose mental and physical illness.  American society, today, expects The Bell Curve. Many Americans expect to classify individuals into categories: unexceptional, ordinary, exceptional. Bipolar individuals experience fluctuations that make them fit into all of these categories (and more). And although not all Bipolar individuals are savants, life is the farthest thing from "average." Point is, the reason the suicide rate for Bipolar individuals is so high is because the world doesn't suit them.

But that's not the most tragic part. The most tragic part is that's what makes Bipolar individuals savants. That's what makes Bipolar individuals break out of themselves to become exceptional authors, artists, musicians, mathematicians, actors, singers, song-writers, scientists. Is the pain worth the possibility of exceptional talent? For society, maybe. For the individual, probably not. But we have to wonder, where would literature be if Sylvia Plath hadn't written The Bell Jar? Where would art be without Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night"? Where would music be without Kurt Cobain and grunge? There is no coincidental correlation between Bipolar Disorder and exceptional talent. There is only Savant Syndrome. 

Sylvia Plath Documentary 

Carly Fleischmann: Powerful Voice and Epitome of Savant Syndrome

(Carly Fleischmann, pictured right)

"You don't know what it feels like to be me, when you can't sit still because your legs feel like they are on fire, or it feels like a hundred ants are crawling up your arms."

How high would you estimate the author of that quote's intelligence? High enough to finish high school? College? High enough to write a thought-provoking novel? High enough to understand the world around him/her? High enough to sit down? To keep still? To maintain social formalities?

Those words came from a girl who throws herself. Takes off all her clothes. Smears her own fecal matter on walls. Those words came from a girl who cannot speak as consequence of a nearly-lethal mixture of severe Autism, oral-motor apraxia, and cognitive delay. Those words came from a girl who is--by definition--mentally retarded.

Carly Fleishmann is an Autistic American young woman who--despite her severe mental and physical disabilities--has shown remarkable talent and ability.

Carly has not only existed as an exceptionally-inspiring and society-changing individual, but also, as a classic case of Savant Syndrome.

Carly has published an enormously successful text--Carly's Voice--that explains Autism in ways non-Autistic researchers could never dream of understanding. In regards to "experts," Carly herself writes, "[she] think[s] people get a lot of their information [about Autism] from so-called experts but [she] think[s] what happens is that experts can't give an explanation to certain questions. How can you explain something you have not lived it or if you don't know what it's like to have it? If a horse is sick, you don't ask a fish what's wrong with the horse. You go right to the horse's mouth."

What if the horse won't speak?

Carly has rightfully gained fame as one of the few children impacted so severely with Autism to gain a true national voice. However, Autism isn't a new disability. Although Autism wasn't officially added to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) until 1980, Autism has existed as far back as human nature. It took hundreds, if not thousands of powerful people--like and unlike Carly--to bring us to where we are today.

And we still don't know everything--whether we're a fish or a horse. In fact, we know very little.  That's why Autistic Savants are so crucial to the functioning of society. That's why parents shouldn't abort of "give up" on their kids with developmental disorders, mental illness, or cognitive delay.


Why does Autism make Carly below anyone else? What is wrong with swimming in another world? Is this one really that great that we need to force her to be here too? Is Carly the one who has it right?

(Above) News story about Carly's remarkable ability 

Is it just an excuse?

America, repeat after me...

"Einstein didn't speak until he was four."

"Depressed people are smarter."

"Autistic kids are so musically-talented."
"Smart kids are bad kids."

Savant Syndrome: the phenomenon that describes individuals who--despite living with severe emotional, physical, or mental disabilities--have obvious and remarkable talent.

Like Rain Man, right?

Not necessarily.

Although true "Savant Syndrome" is typically regarded as a condition involving debilitating Autism or other congenital and acquired disorders, some degree of Savant Syndrome is apparent in many seemingly normal, unaffected, and talented individuals.

 A whole hullabaloo of questions arise when considering the seemingly enigmatic qualities of a Savant. How can a debilitating disorder allow for--let alone facilitate--truly remarkable talent? Is there a relationship between struggle and greatness? Is it all just a coincidence? Is it just an excuse--some way to tether incredible people down to the world?

Maybe.

Or maybe it's just a romantic ploy, some unrelated correlation, some way of giving worth and hope to "the worthless." Either way, Savants of all "degrees" are--to say the least--intriguing to the public (especially talk show hosts).

"Your Achilles' Heel" will explore the mysteries behind extreme and acute cases of Savant Syndrome, in addition to its relation to contemporary literature, media, and culture. And if you stick around long enough, you might just learn how to determine what your special talent and more importantly, what your "Achilles' Heel" might be.