9. Isaac Newton’s Dramatic Mood Swings Made him Literally Unapproachable
Isaac Newton is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the scientific revolution. Despite his immense contributions to science, Newton appeared to suffer from a series of mental disorders including manic depression, psychoticism, or even schizophrenia as some contemporary experts propose. According to various historical sources, during his episodes of depression, Newton hallucinated and had conversations with invisible people, while in his notes on alchemy and religion he wrote that he was appointed by God to bring His truth to the world. According to some historians, Newton’s poor mental health was partly attributable to mercury poisoning from his chemical experiments.
Indeed, Newton was known to experiment widely in his laboratory with mercury. Mercury poisoning is associated with morbid irritability, insomnia, and mental hyperactivity, all the features that Newton displayed throughout his life. However, some scholars have claimed that Isaac Newton’s physical and mental health issued in his life from the moment he was born prematurely on 25 December 1642. His plight was further compromised when his mother abandoned him to his grandmother at the age of three. Such early difficulties may have contributed to his mental ailments that troubled him later in his life.