I'm not a psychologist, but I have read the diagnostic and stastical manual for mental disorders, and have read about Bi-Polar, including Kathleen Jamison's latest book describing how many artists and great historical figures have been bi-polar.

Basically, with bi-polar, some people have intense manias that allow them to stay up hours on end, believe they can accomplish anything, their minds race and they do things no normal people could ever too - especially creatively. While they then go into severe depressions, there is often a resistence to taking medication (lithium) because they miss the mania's which allow them so much amazing creativity and sometimes productivity.

Prince seems to foot the bill as far as the manias go - he's certainly does not require much sleep and is reported to spend hours in the studio putting out creative brilliance. He is also said to be very tempermental and moody. Who knows how depressed he gets -- but I wouldn't doubt it.

It wouldn't really matter or take away from his brilliance, but it would be interesting!! Anyone w/ experience/expertise in this area have thoughts?

of course he iz and he loves it 2 a point then he goes nuts again!

i think bipolarity (particularly with regard to artists) is often confused with simply being very emotionally driven, which prince almost certainly is. he has always put his artistic and spiritual whims above financial or practical concerns, sometimes to ridiculous degrees. he gets bored with projects very quickly. he records far more material than can feasibly be released. with someone who is so very heavily guided by pure emotion, they will occasionally seem to people who aren't to veer between moody/introverted and ecstatic/extroverted, as such emotionally charged people generally take feelings to extremes (when they're sad, they're very sad, and when they're happy, they're very happy). i also dont think is particularly bipolar creatively anyway, i.e. he doesn't have sudden manias where he produces huge amounts of stuff then periods when he doesnt produce anything. during the eighties he pretty much recorded ALL the time, not just in bursts, and since round about emancipation (particularly this century) he appears to have consistently recorded far less.

Not this again

For the thousandth time..... he's NOT bi-polar

theghostoftonym said:

Good point -- I'd agree....but bi-polar cycles typically a few weeks to a month, not years - so the fact that Prince seemed to have steady output during a period of years wouldn't say much about his manic/depression cycles. Also, I wouldn't attribute Prince's sheer artistic ability to bi-polar, just, what seems, to be sudden periods where he holes himself up in a studio for days -- this seems to be manic. Also his unstable relationships indicate something. The one thing the public doesn't know much about is if he goes through weeks of depression.

luv4u said:

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Can you tell us how you know this ?

Jatrig said:

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It has been discussed on this board many times. He could have some sort of mental health issues.

Sometimes I think the most intelligent and creative people in this world are bound to be depressed alot.
[Edited 5/13/07 4:00am]

OMG how many times is this thread gonna come up.

It kills me when the amatures start trying to dissect Prince, he's not a specimen in a laboratory. Why don't you worry about your own mental health?!

Nah he's just a carazy mf

wlcm2thdwn said:

Yea but...his mental health is more interesting and intriging. YOU KNOW IT"S TRUE GIRL!! At lest, from the perspective of a Prince fan, it is.

wonder505 said:

Yeah I know

Prince's Bi-Polarity through the years:

For You - Started Lithium regimen as prescribed.
Prince - Before recording of Bambi, Ipecac induced regurgitation of Lithium.
Dirty Mind - Dr. Fink prescribed Prince "Special Lithium" (really only baby aspirin).
Controversy - Dr. Fink still prescribing "Speclial-L".
1999 - Dr. Fink, doing the people's work.
Purple Rain - We love you Dr. Fink.
Around The World In A Day - Near "Special-L" overdose.
Parade - Interesting to note: No Lithium during recording. Lithium during movie shoot.
Sign O' The Times - Dr. Fink on the scene again.
Black Album - Not Lithium. Ecstasy.
Lovesexy - Tiny bits of Lithium in the mix.
Batman - Bigger bits of Lithium in the mix.
Graffiti Bridge - Record, on and off of the Lithium. Movie, shit-loads of lithium.
Diamonds And Pearls - Double doses of Lithium.
Symbol - Triple doses of Lithium.
Gold Nigga - Lithium backed down a touch.
1-800-New-Funk - Going back up the Lithium staircase.
Come - Viagra.
Exodus - What? No Lithium?
The Gold Experience - Sent Lithium to CJ.
Chaos And Disorder - Sent Lithium to Warner Bros.
Emancipation - Lithium mixed with Ex-Lax.
Crystal Ball - On and off the Lithium.
The Truth - Animal Kingdom last song recorded, Prince takes whole bottle of Lithium.
Kamasutra - Nuff' said.
Newpower Soul - Lithium party.
The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale - Lithium. But in a good way.
Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic - Crack.
The Rainbow Children - Jesus Juice.
One Nite Alone... - Not so much Lithium.
One Nite Alone... Live! - OK. Back to the Lithium.
N.E.W.S - Rhonda smoked some weed. Prince smoked a Virginia Slim.
Musicology - Fucking heaps and heaps of Lithium.
3121 - Beautiful Loved And Blessed must have been recorded during the Musicology binge.


Kant spel edit.
[Edited 5/13/07 0:42am]

luv4u said:

Im not a doc but in my opinion he's schizophrenic with lot of personalities....

In thw wost cases he could b BORDERLINE.....

The whole thing in a nutshell is that he is a gemini. That is all there is to that. If u know one then u know what I am talking about.

Prince is a bi-polar, sex and love addict, borderline personality disorder, social phobic, avoidant personality, co-dependant, anorexic, workaholic.

ConsciousContact said:

lol.... U well described him.....lol

Prince is just Prince, He makes the rules then breaks em all, cause he is the best!

theerainbochild said:

Hey! I resemble that remark!

Jatrig said:

He's a gemini 'nuf said

theerainbochild said:

My oldest daughter she can go in the bathroom Dr. Jekyl and come out Ms. Hyde make you not wanna go in there

theerainbochild said:

Heyyyy you, on behalf of the Gemini Council, you should watch what you say about one of our more "colorful" members.

NO! He's a Gemini!

come on guys- bi-polarity and all these disorders ure talking abt aren't a joke. u can't just throw them around in a conversation.

luv4u said:

if someone is bipolar they also go through equal periods of time where they become completely depressed, isolated (like actually staying in a walk-in closet all day), and absolutely nonproductive. I don't think Prince does this stuff.

I think the key to making any psychiatric diagnosis is to remember that a psychiatric dis ease is primarily characterized by harm or threat of immediate harm to self or others. He doesn't seem harmed. What a fine line between eccentricity and illness there is huh?