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Delve into Thelonious Monk's struggles with mental health, his involuntary hospitalization in NYC's Bellevue, misdiagnosis threats, and later accurate bipolar diagnosis. Explore the Jazz press's depiction of Monk as the "Mad Monk" and how it affected his career and personal life.
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“BLUE MONK”: MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND THE JAZZ PRESS 1945-1959
Monk was first hospitalized in 1957 at Bellevue in NYC. • It was an involuntary admission • He was considered “a danger to himself and others” so was held for observation • It felt like a prison to Monk • Conditions were overcrowded: 650 patients were jammed into the 630-bed facility • After three weeks, a physician who was a family friend successfully negotiated Monk’s release • He was released without a diagnosisHe was “fortunate” to have escaped being misdiagnosed as a “paranoid schizophrenic” as were some of fellow jazz musicians Including Charles Mingus and Bud Powell.Paranoid schizophrenic was a label often applied to black patients and nonconformist artists.
DIAGNOSIS Nearly twenty years later, Monk was accurately diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His depressive symptoms included: Falling asleep at the piano Staring into space, lost in thought, seemingly unable to recognize people around him Not leaving his home for weeks at a time His symptoms of hypomania included: Staying awake for 2-3 days at a time Frenetic pacing Going without eating so as not to interrupt other activities
‘MAD MONK’: REPRESENTING MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE JAZZ PRESS • Many friends, colleagues, and journalists interpreted Monk’s symptoms as his trademark eccentricities. • Although some speculated that his “madness” was intrinsic to his creative genius, his bipolar disorder interfered with Monk’s ability to create and retain jobs. • It also negatively impacted his family.
