Was Muhammad Schizophrenic?

[VoidoftheSun]

Muhammad questioned his own sanity.

That's called healthy skepticism, something all people should be doing, you and me included. If we don't question our own sanity then there is a problem.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

In general, that is a good sign. The insane tend to not question their sanity. The sane do.

I'm not judging it either way.
But the world really isn't as clear cut as 'sane' and 'insane' and plenty of people with mental illness have moments of insight into their own condition.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

That's called healthy skepticism, something all people should be doing, you and me included. If we don't question our own sanity then there is a problem.

Yes, agreed.
I've never questioned my sanity due to hearing a literal voice, though, so I think the similarities are broad only.

 

[Piculet]

I'm not judging it either way.
But the world really isn't as clear cut as 'sane' and 'insane' and plenty of people with mental illness have moments of insight into their own condition.

Having a mental illness is not the same as being insane. Being insane usually means being either in a psychosis or being severely psychotic. The clear cut is made by specialists.

 

[Aupmanyav]

He may have had some periods of forgetfulness. I have read in Hadiths that for six months he was afflicted by black magic and did not know if he had had sex or not. You see, now-a-days people do not know these things, but they did happen in olden times.

 

[Harel13]

I'm not sure if that could be classified as a mental illness in and of itself according to psychiatry.

Jerusalem syndrome - Wikipedia

 

[Samantha Rinne]

Along with other religious leaders, Moses, Jesus, Joseph Smith?
Isn't this a more likely explanation than divine intervention?

A man in his late 20s with paranoid schizophrenia
explained during a neurological evaluation that he
could read minds and that for years he had heard voices
revealing things about friends and strangers alike. He
believed he was selected by God to provide guidance
for mankind. Antipsychotic medications prescribed by
his psychiatrists diminished these abilities and reduced
the voices, and therefore he would not take them. He
asked, “How do you know the voices aren’t real?” “How
do you know I am not The Messiah?” He affirmed, “God
and angels talked to people in the Bible.”
Later, we reflected on what he had said. He raised
poignant questions that are rarely discussed in academic
medicine. Every day, physicians, nurses, psychologists,
and social workers alike encounter and care for people
who experience psychotic symptoms. About 1% of emergency room visits and 0.5% of all primary care visits in
the United States are related to psychotic symptoms.1,2
As many as 60% of those with schizophrenia have
religious grandiose delusions consisting of believing
they are a saint, God, the devil, a prophet, Jesus, or some
other important person.3 Diminished insight about
having a mental disorder is part and parcel of the
condition, occurring in 30%–50% of persons with schizophrenia.4 How do we explain to our patients that their
psychotic symptoms are not supernatural intimations
when our civilization recognizes similar phenomena
in revered religious figures?
Psychiatry Online

If Jesus, the Second Comming, showed up today. Would he be put on Meds?

To me, this speaks volumes of an overzealous medical field.

Doctors and nurses ought only to prescribe medication when a person is a danger to themselves or other people.

Let's look at both leaders in their historical context, shall we?

Jesus was at best, suicidal. But we aren't even sure of that, or just his desire to confront Rome. For you see, at the time, Rome was an absolute power, a dictatorship that was crucifying people who didn't get with the program. No, this wasn't some spevial punishment for Jesus. They did this for anyone that pissed them off. The thing is, if Jesus was in fact the Son of God, the meds probably wouldn't even work.
But he never claimed to be the Son of God. His followers claimed it of him. He said his Father was God, but everyone's Father in Judaism is God. He said he was the Son of Man, but this passage comes from the Valley of Dry Bones. Basically Jesus would pass review for psychosis with flying colors, particularly because he was a normal person living in an abnormal time. A time of Roman oppression. Yet he handled this with far less fear or violence than even a regular person.

Now let's look at Muhammad. You ever heard the expression, "And let not it be said, and to your shame, that all was beautiful before you came"? Well uhhhh, Muhammad grew up a trader for like his father-in-law or uncle or whatever, and lived at a time when Mecca was a haven for religious tolerance. This town had Christians, Zoroastrians, Jews, polytheists, and Muhammad's family were believed to be uncategorized monotheists. All of these were living peacefully together when this man declares that he was on this mountain and some angel appeared to him. When look at context, suddenly notions of schizophrenia disappear. His story is nearly the same as Joseph Smith, it's the claim of a person who wants to use religion ad a tool for power. He claims this for 15 years, making a nuisance in this tolerant town, before they finally have enough and throw him out. Then he finds people who angry, desparate, and greedy in Medina and quickly convinces them that his religion will allow them to do violence, to raid from others, and to have many wives and young as possible if they follow him. Neither man is schizophrenic, but Muhammad woyld be a good candidate for dangerous psychopathy, the sort of person who would hurt people minding their own business. I'd strongly recommend a lobotomy.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Having a mental illness is not the same as being insane. Being insane usually means being either in a psychosis or being severely psychotic. The clear cut is made by specialists.

Insanity doesn't have a clear medical meaning.
People who are colloquially 'insane' are suffering from severe and possibly acute mental illness. That's all.

 

[Piculet]

Insanity doesn't have a clear medical meaning.
People who are colloquially 'insane' are suffering from severe and possibly acute mental illness. That's all.

But the cut can be made pretty clear, I think. If it can't the situation probably isn't that severe.

in·sane
(in-sān'), This is a legal term referring to mental incompetence and moral irresponsibility but having no specific medical meaning.
1. Of unsound mind; severely mentally impaired; deranged; crazy.
2. Relating to insanity.
insane

 

[Piculet]

Doctors and nurses ought only to prescribe medication when a person is a danger to themselves or other people.

What if he or she is in danger of living a horrible, miserable and intolerably painful life — can he or she ask for some medication?

it's the claim of a person who wants to use religion ad a tool for power.

You know he was offered everything a person in his position could want, if he were living for the worldly life? They tried to bribe him to let it go.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

But the cut can be made pretty clear, I think. If it can't the situation probably isn't that severe.

I have no idea what you're trying to achieve here. Personally I wouldn't use a term of 'insanity' but I'm not here to tell you what to do.
But people who are 'insane' are suffering from mental illness.
There is no 'cut'. As with most things in this world a perception that this is binary is misleading.

 

[Baroodi]

Along with other religious leaders, Moses, Jesus, Joseph Smith?
Isn't this a more likely explanation than divine intervention?

A man in his late 20s with paranoid schizophrenia
explained during a neurological evaluation that he
could read minds and that for years he had heard voices
revealing things about friends and strangers alike. He
believed he was selected by God to provide guidance
for mankind. Antipsychotic medications prescribed by
his psychiatrists diminished these abilities and reduced
the voices, and therefore he would not take them. He
asked, “How do you know the voices aren’t real?” “How
do you know I am not The Messiah?” He affirmed, “God
and angels talked to people in the Bible.”
Later, we reflected on what he had said. He raised
poignant questions that are rarely discussed in academic
medicine. Every day, physicians, nurses, psychologists,
and social workers alike encounter and care for people
who experience psychotic symptoms. About 1% of emergency room visits and 0.5% of all primary care visits in
the United States are related to psychotic symptoms.1,2
As many as 60% of those with schizophrenia have
religious grandiose delusions consisting of believing
they are a saint, God, the devil, a prophet, Jesus, or some
other important person.3 Diminished insight about
having a mental disorder is part and parcel of the
condition, occurring in 30%–50% of persons with schizophrenia.4 How do we explain to our patients that their
psychotic symptoms are not supernatural intimations
when our civilization recognizes similar phenomena
in revered religious figures?
Psychiatry Online

If Jesus, the Second Comming, showed up today. Would he be put on Meds?

I hope you will not get this disease, do you think a schizophrenic is able to lead 2 persons let a lone full nations?

 

[firedragon]

Along with other religious leaders, Moses, Jesus, Joseph Smith?
Isn't this a more likely explanation than divine intervention?

A man in his late 20s with paranoid schizophrenia
explained during a neurological evaluation that he
could read minds and that for years he had heard voices
revealing things about friends and strangers alike. He
believed he was selected by God to provide guidance
for mankind. Antipsychotic medications prescribed by
his psychiatrists diminished these abilities and reduced
the voices, and therefore he would not take them. He
asked, “How do you know the voices aren’t real?” “How
do you know I am not The Messiah?” He affirmed, “God
and angels talked to people in the Bible.”
Later, we reflected on what he had said. He raised
poignant questions that are rarely discussed in academic
medicine. Every day, physicians, nurses, psychologists,
and social workers alike encounter and care for people
who experience psychotic symptoms. About 1% of emergency room visits and 0.5% of all primary care visits in
the United States are related to psychotic symptoms.1,2
As many as 60% of those with schizophrenia have
religious grandiose delusions consisting of believing
they are a saint, God, the devil, a prophet, Jesus, or some
other important person.3 Diminished insight about
having a mental disorder is part and parcel of the
condition, occurring in 30%–50% of persons with schizophrenia.4 How do we explain to our patients that their
psychotic symptoms are not supernatural intimations
when our civilization recognizes similar phenomena
in revered religious figures?
Psychiatry Online

If Jesus, the Second Comming, showed up today. Would he be put on Meds?

If where ever this second coming happens, and if it really happens, and someone analyses Jesus with such a narcissistic attitude, yes he would be put on meds.

 

[Ponder This]

Along with other religious leaders, Moses, Jesus, Joseph Smith?
Isn't this a more likely explanation than divine intervention?

A man in his late 20s with paranoid schizophrenia
explained during a neurological evaluation that he
could read minds and that for years he had heard voices
revealing things about friends and strangers alike. He
believed he was selected by God to provide guidance
for mankind. Antipsychotic medications prescribed by
his psychiatrists diminished these abilities and reduced
the voices, and therefore he would not take them. He
asked, “How do you know the voices aren’t real?” “How
do you know I am not The Messiah?” He affirmed, “God
and angels talked to people in the Bible.”
Later, we reflected on what he had said. He raised
poignant questions that are rarely discussed in academic
medicine. Every day, physicians, nurses, psychologists,
and social workers alike encounter and care for people
who experience psychotic symptoms. About 1% of emergency room visits and 0.5% of all primary care visits in
the United States are related to psychotic symptoms.1,2
As many as 60% of those with schizophrenia have
religious grandiose delusions consisting of believing
they are a saint, God, the devil, a prophet, Jesus, or some
other important person.3 Diminished insight about
having a mental disorder is part and parcel of the
condition, occurring in 30%–50% of persons with schizophrenia.4 How do we explain to our patients that their
psychotic symptoms are not supernatural intimations
when our civilization recognizes similar phenomena
in revered religious figures?
Psychiatry Online

If Jesus, the Second Comming, showed up today. Would he be put on Meds?

An interesting question, because a diagnosis of schizophrenia actually doesn't mean we know the cause of it. That's why thinking people have to stop and think about this question: the causes of schizophrenia are not known; they are not fully understood.
And while meds treat a symptom, their use also doesn't indicate the understanding of a cause.

While people may not believe this man was anything special, his question remains something for people to think about as they try to understand the causes of schizophrenia.

You raise another question of how to convince patients that their psychotic symptoms are not supernatural intimations...
But I'm not so sure it is worth the effort to convince them that these are not supernatural intimations. It suffices to note that they believe such a thing. After all, they aren't special in this regard. Plenty of other people believe they get supernatural intimations and don't have their lives adversely affected. So the problem is really that the patient's life or the lives of those around the patient have been adversely affected by these psychotic symptoms or "supernatural intimations"... and therefore, it doesn't matter. I think it would be more important to help the patient to understand the adverse effects of his condition... which should include a prognosis of the potential effects if left untreated. After all, this is the point of taking meds, isn't it? I mean, you wouldn't be trying to get a patient to take his meds if his condition wasn't causing a problem (or potential problem) either for himself or others, would you?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

If the Qur'an were written by Muhammad, I would say it shows way too much consistency to come from a psychotic mind. Those with schizophrenia rarely talk so coherently.

Of course, he did not actually write it anymore than one person wrote the Bible. It was all written down from memorized versions of his oratory.

 

[Rival]

Of course, he did not actually write it anymore than one person wrote the Bible. It was all written down from memorized versions of his oratory.

We don't know this. We have no idea how the Qur'an came to us.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

We don't know this. We have no idea how the Qur'an came to us.

It has been my understanding that the Qur'an was orally revealed to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel. Tradition says that the written work was transcribed by the companions of Muhammad and after his death a standard was assembled by Uthman.

I suppose that is belief and not fact, but I do not know of any other origin story for it. Nothing I have read says that Muhammad wrote the Qur'an himself.

 

[Rival]

It has been my understanding that the Qur'an was orally revealed to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel. Tradition says that the written work was transcribed by the companions of Muhammad and after his death a standard was assembled by Uthman.

I suppose that is belief and not fact, but I do not know of any other origin story for it. Nothing I have read says that Muhammad wrote the Qur'an himself.

As far as we can discern, the Qur'an just appeared to come from nowhere. It's very strange how it just kind of appears one day. We have old copies and using new techniques we can find old writing underneath the current writing and it doesn't say the same thing, though is clearly a Qur'anic verse. It does appear to be an edit job, but when, how and by who we only have a little clue in Abd Al-Malik, the Islamic King at the time. He seems to be connected to this. At the time the Arabs 'explode' out of Arabia and start conquering, there's not even a mention of Muhammad or Muslims (only we see Ishmaelites, Hagarites or such, but no 'Muslim' designation) at a time when Islamic narrative tells us we should see those things, so it's hard to put together.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Along with other religious leaders, Moses, Jesus, Joseph Smith?
Isn't this a more likely explanation than divine intervention?

A man in his late 20s with paranoid schizophrenia
explained during a neurological evaluation that he
could read minds and that for years he had heard voices
revealing things about friends and strangers alike. He
believed he was selected by God to provide guidance
for mankind. Antipsychotic medications prescribed by
his psychiatrists diminished these abilities and reduced
the voices, and therefore he would not take them. He
asked, “How do you know the voices aren’t real?” “How
do you know I am not The Messiah?” He affirmed, “God
and angels talked to people in the Bible.”
Later, we reflected on what he had said. He raised
poignant questions that are rarely discussed in academic
medicine. Every day, physicians, nurses, psychologists,
and social workers alike encounter and care for people
who experience psychotic symptoms. About 1% of emergency room visits and 0.5% of all primary care visits in
the United States are related to psychotic symptoms.1,2
As many as 60% of those with schizophrenia have
religious grandiose delusions consisting of believing
they are a saint, God, the devil, a prophet, Jesus, or some
other important person.3 Diminished insight about
having a mental disorder is part and parcel of the
condition, occurring in 30%–50% of persons with schizophrenia.4 How do we explain to our patients that their
psychotic symptoms are not supernatural intimations
when our civilization recognizes similar phenomena
in revered religious figures?
Psychiatry Online

If Jesus, the Second Comming, showed up today. Would he be put on Meds?

It is an interesting point, but I am have no reason to consider that a mentally ill person cannot know God or be the mechanism of the message of God. It would certainly make delivering the message more challenging, but I am not God, so I cannot know why the messengers are chosen.

Knowing what we know about mental health and specific examples of those with grandiose conditions, it would become a question raised if Christ arrived today. How significant a question would remain to be seen.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

As far as we can discern, the Qur'an just appeared to come from nowhere. It's very strange how it just kind of appears one day. We have old copies and using new techniques we can find old writing underneath the current writing and it doesn't say the same thing, though is clearly a Qur'anic verse. It does appear to be an edit job, but when, how and by who we only have a little clue in Abd Al-Malik, the Islamic King at the time. He seems to be connected to this. At the time the Arabs 'explode' out of Arabia and start conquering, there's not even a mention of Muhammad or Muslims (only we see Ishmaelites, Hagarites or such, but no 'Muslim' designation) at a time when Islamic narrative tells us we should see those things, so it's hard to put together.

There is a rich and fascinating history there and I have only touched the surface on a few occasions. I have read several broader history texts that provide reviews and greater, but limited detail on significant events. Like biblical history, there is much that is unknown or lost.

It certainly appeared over a brief span than the Bible. I am unfamiliar with the reference to the examination of older copies. That is interesting and obviously confounding.

Have I missed the fact that you are muslim or are you just expressing a keen knowledge of the history of the Qur'an? I can be obtuse like that sometimes.