Matt, right on.

Ghaemi's is not the only book to explore the relationship between mood disorders and greatness. “Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament” by Kay Redfield Jamison also examines the link.

It sounds very strange to hear you say that "realism" is a kind of madness, associated with mental illness.

Last I knew the clinical definition of madness was disassociation with the real world, and seeming to aptly describe a great deal of what our "mentally healthy" world is being consumed by today.

Oh, balderdash. It's not important how old you are on parchment, it's how old you feel in the humours!

- Montgomery Burns

Hey pop psych guy, what about diagnosing cartoon characters next? I smell a best seller!

I just watched a documentary on the Jonestown massacre last night. Jim Jones was an incredibly compelling leader, but his mental illness (coupled with drug abuse) obviously lead to horrible results. He was able to lead people, but not in the right direction. Charles Manson as well...

Is hyperthymia the reason JFK was always talking about "great vigah"?

Are you kidding? This guy is promoting a book, that is all, no real clinician would promote a diagnosis based on historical records. Way to go buddy, you are now a joke.

Does depression really count as mental illness? It could just be a natural reaction to a debilitating factor in a person's life.

In which case, that might be a sign of mental health.