Mania And Depression Linked To Money And Success

By Margarita Nahapetyan

People who suffer from mania and depression are more likely to be attracted to success, money and fame, according to a new study, published in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology.

According to Professor Sheri L. Johnson, one of the researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the study, episodes of mania are characterized by changes in mood, which most often is being extremely elevated. The condition is usually characterized by excessive talkativeness, unusual thought patterns, less need for sleep, increased distractibility, and sometimes even psychosis. Socially, maniacs tend to be impulsive, grandiose, obsessive, impetuous, irritable and in some cases aggressive. More often they do not accept the fact that there is anything wrong with them.

Mania varies in its intensity, from mild mania, also known as hypomania, to full-blown mania with psychotic features, in which case sufferers experience hallucinations and delusions. While mild mania is often successfully treated and kept under control with the help of a counseling approach, acute mania can only be treated with mood stabilizers and antipsychotic medication.

Professor Johnson explained that in previous studies the condition has already been linked "to belief in the importance of achievement," and in their new study the experts set a goal to figure out whether there is also a link between mania and setting higher expectations for the future.

In their study, a team of researchers looked at the manic and depressive levels of 103 people, including 27 patients with a diagnosed manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, a brain disorder that causes unusual and, very often, dramatic changes in an individual's mood, behavior, energy and his ability to function. All the participants were asked to fill in the questionnaires that were designed to assess their most ambitious life expectations, such as desire to become famous, to participate in different TV shows on a regular basis, or winning suddenly 20 million dollars or more.

Interestingly enough, the study came up with the results that the 27 people who had experienced episodes of mania during their lifetime, turned out to have the highest expectations of achieving fame and materialistic success, compared to other participants of the study. Dr. Johnson said that the findings make it clear that people with manic or bipolar tendencies are being predisposed to focus on popularity, finances, and success in general.

The team of psychologists concluded that in certain cases people who suffer from mania condition, manage to achieve expectations that had been set by them as higher goals. All this gives the experts a hope that such a severe brain disorder can be accompanied by positive moments.