World Bipolar Day – the life of Van Gogh

World Bipolar Day (WBD) is celebrated each year on March 30th.  

This day is the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who was posthumously diagnosed as probably having bipolar disorder.  The vision of WBD is to bring world awareness to bipolar disorders and eliminate social stigma. Through international collaboration the goal of World Bipolar Day is to bring the world population information about bipolar disorders.  Source: www.isbd.org

Van Gogh was a 19th century painter whose work was criticised during his life.  He was virtually unknown when he was alive and sold one painting in his life.

However, his work was to be highly acclaimed in the 20th century. His mother however lived long to see her son’s posthumous acclaims.

A genius in his own right, he was very misunderstood. It is believed that mania was very dominant on his life.  Mania was followed by episodes of depression.  He eventually died by suicide at the tender age of 37.

5 Quotes by Van Gogh

##1  What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?

##2  I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people

##3  I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.

##4  The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.

##5  If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced

Van Gogh through his painting indeed proved that though mental illness was a stumbling block, it became a stepping stone to his greatness.  He pressed on and though he never lived to see the name he made, he left a great legacy, the most important thing for proof of existence.

Please create awareness of bipolar today.  Please reshare on any social media.  Thank you.

About The Author

Zoe

Zoe met Eze (Chuck) in the 14th year of what turned out to be an 18 year ‘journey’ with mental illness. They got married less than a year of meeting with Zoe fully knowing Chuck had a diagnosis of mental illness. In the 18th year, Chuck defied the odds of mental illness. A consultant psychiatrist signed him off the mental health system with a bill of NO MENTAL ILLNESS. The consultant was so amazed by Chuck’s astonishing recovery that he even questioned how Chuck was diagnosed with mental illness all those years before, in the first place! Today Chuck is free from medication, its dependency and hospitalizations. Zoe’s award nominated book, DEFYING THE ODDS, chronicles the highs and ‘lows’ of this journey. Zoe, often writing from the standpoint of a caregiver, clearly understands that mental illness does not only affect an individual challenged with the disease, but also families, marriages and society as a whole.

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