Mania can be considered colloquially as an excessive interest, love, or devotion to something such as a hobby, e.g., car racing or collection of artworks. A woman might say to a man: “I am mad about you”. Often we refer to a genius as mad. Mania and madness have various connotations in social life. Such colloquial mania or madness is often desirable, acceptable, or admirable.
The medical condition of mania is not desirable or admirable, and in many cases, not acceptable. Mania is a “mental disorder characterized by extreme excitement and energy” (The American Academy of Physicians’ Family Health and Medical Guide, 1996). The Stedman’s Concise Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions, 3rd Editions defines maniain two ways: “an emotional disorder characterized by euphoria or irritability, increased psychomotor activity, rapid speech, flight of ideas, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, grandiosity, and poor judgement” or “ an abnormal love for, or morbid impulse towards, some specific object, place, or action”. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (6th Edition) gives a definition from psychology for mania: “a mental illness in which somebody has an obsession about something that makes them extremely anxious, violent, or confused”. Webster’s New World College Dictionary (4th Edition) gives several definitions amongst which are: “a type of mental disorder characterized by an abnormal preoccupation, compulsion, etc.” Mania is difficult to define and for the purpose of this article, I prefer to consider it simply as super-reaction to a person, place, thing, or event; activity that goes beyond the supports of reason and wisdom.
Every human being becomes medically manic under various conditions, thus mania is a catholic or universal medical condition. Underlying genetic predispositions, cultural, religious, spiritual, social, psychological, temporal, economic, political, and other varied influences can precipitate manic episodes or stable mania in individuals. A manic person is hurtful to self and to others and in many cases more hurtful to others than to self. Thus mania is a condition we should all be aware of and know that we all have the possibility of developing any time, any day, anywhere, anyhow.
People with stable mania, chronic mania, established manic lifestyles, attitudes, or behaviour, are possibly safer than people who fall into instantaneous and unexpected acute mania. The established known maniacs can often be tolerated, accepted within an understanding society, and cared for to fit into regular life. Persons known to have chronic mania can be regulated medically, legally, morally, and charitably, therefore any possible harm from them is limited, contained, or aborted. Some cases can fit well into family life, with other members of the family being understanding and supportive.
Instantaneous mania is more common than we can believe and because it may not linger, it may pass unnoticed, yet leaving behind significant harm. We may never think of ourselves as sometimes becoming instantaneously mad or manic therefore we look at historical examples. When King Herod gave an order to kill innocent babies, he was mad. In a moment of madness he initiated significant harm killing all children, two years old and under in Bethlehem and the surrounding coasts. He could not reason in that moment, he was pathologically angry with the wise men that did not return to him. We can recount Hitler’s episodes, Idi Amin’s atrocities, and terrors spread by religious fanaticisms of all faith institutions. Pathologic anger, fear, dread, envy, hate, greed, lust, vengeance, rivalry, etc., can develop in any person instantaneously and precipitate madness. Such madness is never expected by the person who goes mad or by the victims. Because the victims are unguarded, they are surely affected or hurt. Therefore, for all of us, knowing how to not get mad is an important aspect of good health and safe living.
Within families, manic episodes by persons that were not known as mad have resulted in homes being burnt to ashes; family members being burned and disfigured; family members being stabbed, shot with a gun, poisoned, or hurt for life in various ways; property being destroyed; economic losses; or violation and disruption of good life in various ways. Any of these episodes may happen one pleasant, happy, sunny day when everybody has been feeling good and happy.
The unpredictable possibility of madness from anyone, anywhere, anytime, anyhow, makes it necessary for us to take a closer look at this medical condition and how to save ourselves from it.
To be continued.
Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please Email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910
