Was John bipolar??? | Page 2 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Just a thought on this topic:

I think John may have fit into a less understood part of the “bipolar spectrum” and had what is called a hyperthymic temperament. Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme “ups” (episodes of hypomania) and extreme “downs” (more “downs” than “ups”). A person with hyperthymic temperament is the opposite: they live in an almost constant state of “up” and only occasionally experience the “downs.” People with this temperament (classic examples are Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt and Bill Clinton, many of the great explorers, Steve Jobs) tend to be great innovators, very driven, creative, good at reading people, able to see “truths” or qualities of the human condition that most other people can’t see; they’re often labeled visionaries. They’re ballsy and can be incredibly confident; they have a decreased need for sleep; their ambitions seem impossible to most people but are completely realistic to them. They can come across as very childlike in some ways. They can be sensitive, convinced that people unlike them “don’t get them” or are “out to get them.” They also have notorious problems with impulse control (typically in the three big areas: chemical substances, sex and/or food. Clinton had problems with two of those, for example. John seems to have had problems with all three at various points, as well as spending.) 

While they are naturally prone to being so “up,” their “downs” are characteristic of a bipolar or manic depressive type of crash. They can be severe and, depending on the circumstances, prolonged. However, hyperthymic people, unlike bipolar people, generally do not ever become suicidal, no matter how severe the “down” is. They always have some trauma or difficulty in their background; they’re survivors but they manage to make something very positive out of a devastating personal experience. 

John experienced more “downs” than the standard hyperthymic person, but he also had two (or three, depending on your perspective) outside influences that could have precipitated that: drugs and fame. (I think some people might characterize aspects of his relationship with Yoko as precipitating some of his problems, as well, but that’s not as clear as the obvious destructive quality of drugs, alcohol and fame.)   

The trauma with his parents certainly describes the survivor qualities that are requisite to the temperament (Clinton grew up with an abusive stepfather who almost shot him once; both Roosevelts were extremely sick when they were younger; Jobs never knew his father). Clearly, most of us wouldn’t argue that John had “visionary” and creative qualities; he was always very ambitious. Even as a child, when all of his schoolteachers told his he was destined for a life of failure, he’d still yell things at Mimi about saving his artwork and poems because he’d be famous one day. He clearly had impulse control issues. And, despite failing everything in school, he was nevertheless an intelligent person. 

It’s a shot in the dark, and I’m prone to guess it because I’ve been diagnosed as having the temperament, so I’m apt to see it while most people don’t even know about it. I think if you took someone like Clinton or Jobs though, made them one of the most famous people in the world in their early 20s, gave them tons of illicit drugs, access to innumerable groupies and copious amounts of cash, and made their whole lifestyle and all of their success largely tied to three other people (which would frustrate a hyperthymic person beyond belief), you very easily end up with the kind of person John was by the end of the Beatles’ run. Most people who are hyperthymic really, really like being that way because it’s usually very positive. It’s also not something for which one gets medicated. It’s great, as long as the person manages the impulses and lives a healthy lifestyle within their means and societal bounds (which John did not). But, the “down” times are agonizing, as they would be for anyone who has bipolar disorder. I think circumstances may have given John an excessive number of “down” times, making him appear sick in ways he wasn’t. 

Sorry it was so long! Not surprisingly, I have a lot of information about it. And, it was an idea that hadn’t been suggested yet, that I think offers an interesting perspective on what may have compelled (for lack of a better word) him to to be the person he was.

mithveaen said
I think it’s an interesting question. He might have been bipolar.. but honestly I don’t know much about this problem to say it.

 

I think John had a lot of unsolved issues when he was young, and his personality and all the pressure of being a Beatle didn’t help at all. Having Paul, George and Ringo helped him but not for long.  

Actually, John Lennon ‘s bipolarism was due to his element misbalance problem, he was born with weak element combination. Just look at his Chinese astrological chart then you would understand what I am saying. 

John Lennon ‘s Chinese astrological chart:

Birth hour: 18.30 PM (yin wood rooster)

Birth date: 9 (yin wood rooster)

Birth month: October (yang fire dog)

Birth year: 1940 (yang metal dragon)

Zodiac sign: Dragon

Judging from John’s Chinese astrological chart above you would notice that John was born with weak and imbalanced element combination, his element was simply not balanced enough to lead normal life. His yin wood element (his main element) was too weak, his yang metal element (his opposing element) was too strong. He was also lacking of fire element and water element on his astrological chart to make himself stay balanced. You could say that John Lennon was born with life threatening element combination. That’s why I am not surprised why his behavior was particularly problematic, that’s because he simply couldn’t shoulder his element misbalance problem. His overwhelming metal element simply threatened his weak wood element, he seriously needed other people to sustain himself. He was born with extremely cold element.

The only people who could help John Lennon to sustain himself were by far Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono. Without Paul and Yoko, John Lennon would died quickly. Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono were the people who helped John Lennon to patched up his element misbalance problem and maintaining his health. If you don’t understand what I am saying, just read my explanation below:

As what I said previously, John Lennon was a person born with weak yin wood element and strong yang metal element. His element combination was not balanced enough. So, that’s why he needed to rely on other people to balanced uo his element. 

Paul McCartney on the hand, he has the element combination that could help John Lennon to sustain himself because if you look at Paul’s Chinese astrological chart below, you would notice that his element combination was simply suitable for John Lennon .

Paul McCartney ‘s Chinese astrological chart:

Birth hour: 14.00 PM (yin fire goat)

Birth date: 18 (yang water tiger)

Birth month: June (yang fire horse)

Birth year: 1942 (yang water horse) 

Zodiac sign: Horse

As you can see from Paul’s chart above, you would notice that Paul was born with strong yang water element and strong yin fire element. His element is the complete opposite of John Lennon , his element is simply too hot like boiling water. That’s why his element was suitable for John Lennon ‘s health. Paul McCartney could make use of his strong yin fire element to melt down John Lennon ‘s excessive metal element, so his yin wood element won’t be threatened by his overwhelming yang metal element and John Lennon ‘s element would stay warm. Then, Paul McCartney could also make use of his strong yang water element to nurture John Lennon ‘s weak yin wood element. So, from the explanation writen previously, Paul McCartney could be described as John Lennon ‘s lifesaver. 

Then, why John Lennon relied on Yoko Ono? 

That’s because Yoko Ono has strong yin wood element. Yoko has strong yin wood element because she was born in the month of tiger (18 February). Then, she also has yang fire element and yin water element. John felt that Yoko Ono could help him to sustain himself and further growing his own element.
John Lennon used Yoko Ono’s strong yin wood element to grow further his weak yin wood element. On the same time, John’s strong yang metal element was useful for Yoko Ono to trim her excessive yin wood element.
Because of his relationship with Yoko Ono, his relationship with Paul McCartney finally deteriorated which lead to the split between them. John Lennon split with Paul McCartney because he felt that Paul’s element wasn’t sustainable for him anymore.

So, you could say that John Lennon was such a unfortunate person, he was born with unfortunate element combination. But he was still lucky because he had Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono as his personal anchors who could help him to stay alive. Without Paul and Yoko, John would died quickly.

Source: turtleluck.com