Zelda Fitzgerald and Schizophrenia

An artist, painter, socialite, and American author Zelda Fitzgerald was the wife and muse of the author F. Scott Fitzgerald and an icon in the roaring twenties. Zelda Fitzgerald was known as a feminist who influenced and changed the gender norms as she grew up by drinking, smoking, and spending much of her time with boys. In 1920 she married F. Scott Fitzgerald. The two became overnight celebrities. While they had some financial troubles, F. Scott Fitzgerald continued to write, and Zelda continued to add more talents to her long list of talents. In 1929, the Fitzgeralds were living an over-the-top lifestyle and this lead to their overall financial ruin. The following year Zelda was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The reason for this was that she had long times of depression and then times where she was extremely excited and creative. Zelda spent the rest of her life in and out of Hospitals. At the time most treatments for mental illness included drugs, being shackled, or put in straitjackets. Where Zelda stayed was different though. According to nprs article the idea was “if you provided people with purposeful activities, good diet, exercise, fresh air, and clean water…that would be helpful for them”. Zelda was in and out of this hospital the rest of her life. She ended up dying in this same hospital when a fire was started. According to Mayo Clinic current treatment usually includes medications and psychosocial therapy, and occasionally hospitalization may be needed. These are two distinct different forms of treatment. We know at both the times of these treatments they worked for the people who were being treated. So, which do you think is a better form of treatment? Does it depend on the person? Does the time of these two treatments matter? We think that the form of treatment used now is the most effective. Let us know what you think!

Picture of Zelda Fitzgerald

Sources:

Stamberg, S. (2013, September 03). For F. Scott And Zelda Fitzgerald, A Dark Chapter In Asheville,

N.C. Retrieved April 11, 2018, from https://www.npr.org/2013/09/03/216164420/for-f-scott-and-zelda-fitzgerald-a-dark-chapter-in-asheville-n-c

Worthen, M. (2017, July 21). Zelda Fitzgerald. Retrieved April 11, 2018, from

https://www.biography.com/people/zelda-fitzgerald-021617

Who is Zelda Fitzgerald? Everything You Need to Know. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiled/zelda-sayre-fitzgerald-3250.php

Schizophrenia. (2016, October 11). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354449