CALIGULA: MAD, BAD, OR JUST DANGEROUS TO
KNOW?
1: Psychopathy?
This is a list of the 20 traits assessed by a diagnostic tool for psychopathy, known as
the Hare Psychopathy Checklist, PCL-R:
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glib and superficial charm
grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self
need for stimulation
pathological lying
cunning and manipulativeness
lack of remorse or guilt
shallow affect (superficial emotional responsiveness)
callousness and lack of empathy
parasitic lifestyle
poor behavioural controls
sexual promiscuity
early behaviour problems
lack of realistic long-term goals
impulsivity
irresponsibility
failure to accept responsibility for own actions
many short-term marital relationships
juvenile delinquency
revocation of conditional release
criminal versatility
2: Thyrotoxicosis (Hyperthyroidism, Graves' Disease)?
Symptoms
The thyroid gland, which is in the front of the neck, controls the rate of at which the
body's cells work (the metabolic rate). In thyrotoxicosis, the rate of metabolism is
increased, and this results in most of the symptoms:
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weight loss in spite of increased appetite
Increased or decreased appetite
Irritability
Weakness and fatigue
rapid heart rate
a fine tremor
increased nervousness and emotional instability
mental illness: may range from anxiety to psychosis
loss of libido
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intolerance of heat, and excessive sweating
staring, bulging eyes
enlargement of the thyroid gland, which is at the front of the neck, at the level
of the voice box
3: Anxiety
The symptoms of general anxiety disorder (GAD) often develop slowly and can vary
in severity from person to person. Anxiety can affect you physically and
psychologically (mentally).
Psychological symptoms of GAD
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restlessness
a sense of dread
feeling constantly 'on edge'
difficulty concentrating
irritability
impatience
being easily distracted
Your symptoms may cause you to withdraw from social contact (seeing your family
and friends) to avoid feelings of worry and dread. These actions can make you worry
even more about yourself and increase your lack of self-esteem.
Physical symptoms of GAD
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dizziness
drowsiness and tiredness
pins and needles
irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
muscle aches and tension
dry mouth
excessive sweating
shortness of breath
stomach ache
nausea
diarrhoea
headache
excessive thirst
frequent urinating
painful or missed periods
difficulty falling or staying asleep (insomnia)
4: Schizophrenia
Changes in thinking and behaviour are the most obvious symptoms of schizophrenia.
The symptoms of schizophrenia are usually classified into one of two categories:
positive or negative. The illness may develop slowly. The first signs of schizophrenia,
such as becoming socially withdrawn and unresponsive or experiencing changes in
sleeping patterns, can be hard to identify. Because the first symptoms often develop
during adolescence, the changes can be mistaken for an adolescent 'phase'. People
often have episodes of acute schizophrenia, during which their positive symptoms are
particularly severe, followed by periods where they experience few or no positive
symptoms.
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia
Hallucinations
A hallucination can involve any of the senses, but the most common is hearing voices.
These seem real to the person experiencing them. Some people describe the voices
they hear as friendly and pleasant, but more often they are rude, critical, abusive or
just annoying.
Delusions
A delusion is a belief that is held with complete conviction, even though it is based on
a mistaken, strange or unrealistic view. Someone experiencing a paranoid delusion
may believe that they are being harassed or persecuted. They may believe they are
being watched, plotted against or poisoned, often by a family member or friend.
Confused thoughts (thought disorder)
People experiencing psychosis often have trouble keeping track of their thoughts and
conversations. Some find it hard to concentrate and will drift from one idea to
another.
Changes in behaviour and thoughts
Behaviour may become more disorganised and unpredictable, and appearance or dress
may seem unusual to other people. People with schizophrenia may behave
inappropriately or become extremely agitated and shout or swear for no reason.
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia
The negative symptoms of schizophrenia can often appear several years before
somebody experiences their first acute schizophrenic episode. These initial negative
symptoms are often referred to as the prodromal period of schizophrenia. Symptoms
during the prodromal period usually begin gradually and then slowly get worse.
Negative symptoms experienced by people living with schizophrenia include:
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losing interest and motivation in life and activities, including relationships and
sex
lack of concentration, not wanting to leave the house and changes in sleeping
patterns
being less likely to initiate conversations and feeling uncomfortable with
people, or feeling that there is nothing to say
The negative symptoms of schizophrenia can sometimes be mistaken for deliberate
laziness or rudeness.
5: Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is characterised by extreme mood swings. The mood swings can
range from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression). Episodes of mania
and depression can often last for several weeks or more.
Depression
During a period of depression, your symptoms may include:
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feeling sad and hopeless
lacking energy
difficulty concentrating and remembering things
loss of interest in everyday activities
feelings of emptiness or worthlessness
feelings of guilt and despair
feeling pessimistic about everything
self-doubt
being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking
lack of appetite
difficulty sleeping
waking up early
suicidal thoughts
Mania
The manic phase of bipolar disorder may include:
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feeling very happy, elated or overjoyed
talking very quickly
feeling full of energy
feeling self-important
feeling full of great new ideas and having important plans
being easily distracted
being easily irritated or agitated
being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking
not feeling like sleeping
not eating
doing things that often have disastrous consequences, such as spending large
sums of money on expensive and sometimes unaffordable items
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making decisions or saying things that are out of character and that others see
as being risky or harmful
Rapid cycling
Between episodes of depression and mania, you may sometimes have periods of
"normal" mood. However, some people with bipolar disorder can repeatedly swing
from a high to low phase quickly without having a "normal" period in between. This
is known as rapid cycling.
Living with bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a condition of extremes. A person with bipolar disorder may be
unaware of being in the manic phase of the condition. After the episode is over, they
may be shocked at their behaviour. However, at the time, they may think that other
people are being negative or unhelpful.
During episodes of mania and depression, someone with bipolar disorder may
experience strange sensations, such as seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not
there (hallucinations). They may also believe things that seem irrational to other
people (delusions). These types of symptoms are known as psychosis or a psychotic
episode.
Weighing up the Evidence
So… having looked at the symptoms of a number of conditions which various
scholars have suggested might be apposite to the emperor Gaius ‘Caligula’, do you
think he suffered from psychopathy, thyrotoxicosis, anxiety, schizophrenia, or bipolar
disorder? Or is it just too difficult to try to diagnose a ‘patient’ at a distance of two
millennia? Or should we distrust the sources, and seek explanations elsewhere?