You are not logged in. Please register or login.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
Pages: 1
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
First of all, sorry for using the Translator. And I do not know if that would be the correct section.
Ok, now, I looked briefly and did not find a topic about it. But I'd like to know more about if I have something to know.
The information I had was that Axl had been diagnosed with manic-depressive (or bipolar). However, Axl/Dexter said that this was not the diagnosis, as can be seen in chat transcripts.
F3 or Ctrl+F: ''bipolar''
www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=5578
With that, does anyone have anything to say about?
At some other time, did Axl mention your condition and use any medication?
Thanks.
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
Axl himself said he was not diagnosed bipolar on one of the chats, i think CD.com?
Yeah. Axl said "I've not been diagnosed as being bipolar though many misconstrue statements I made earlier as alluding to such and unfortunately there's been an abundance of misguided or unqualified speculation of various events but I definitely can relate to needing my own space.''
But he was diagnosed with something, right? I was wondering if there is more information on this.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
I think the prior statement I think was this from the 1990s:
"I'm very sensitive and emotional and things upset me and make me feel like not functioning or dealing with people... I went to a clinic, thinking it would help my moods. The only thing I did was to take one 500 question test - ya know, filling in the little black dots. All of a sudden I'm diagnosed manic-depressive. 'Let's put Axl on medication.' Well, the medication doesn't help me deal with the stress. The only thing it does is help keep people off my back because they figure I'm on medication."
In this interview he talks of having extensive therapy work done after the 1991 shows on tour:
To be honest. You don't need to be told you are bipolar from a doctor to be bipolar. That is - just because a doctor never formally rubber stamped him as bipolar doesn't mean he isn't - it might just mean he's never had good quality treatment. He certainly exhibits some of the traits of that illness at times.
Then again there's other mental health issues Axl might have. He might not be bipolar but could have Borderline Personality Disorder or a different condition.
So we don't know but obviously his history of rage incidents, seclusion, almost paranoia at times, highs and lows creatively and emotionally, self-thwarting behaviours, suggest at least the possibility that he has an issue. It's also notable to me that his weight gain seems to have co-incided with better management of his symptoms - which makes me speculate about medication. Then again he's lived an unusual life under a lot of media pressure too.
In the end I guess it's a matter for his private life, but it's fair to say he's probably a complex person and it's affected his work at times.
Then again a lot of heavily creative and amazing artists are. As the song says - if he's crazy - I guess he'll always be....
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
^
Yes I already saw. Of course, the disease is not annulled or developed based on a diagnosis. I just wanted to know if there was any other information coming from Axl or someone connected to it. But I agree with his assumption, in the face of all that is known about Axl's behavior and his life. I also speculated about the physical change due to medicaments, but I am a layperson about medicines and disorders and I also do not have information, so I considered only speculation.
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
^
Yes I already saw. Of course, the disease is not annulled or developed based on a diagnosis. I just wanted to know if there was any other information coming from Axl or someone connected to it. But I agree with his assumption, in the face of all that is known about Axl's behavior and his life. I also speculated about the physical change due to medicaments, but I am a layperson about medicines and disorders and I also do not have information, so I considered only speculation.
Axl's been a pretty private person over the last couple of decades. I imagine he just isn't terribly interested in talking about it even if he has more information that what's been divulged...
But I will say this...whatever his problem has been or continues to be...he appears to have found a way to deal with it that wasn't an option in the past. I think it's always been a fine line to balance for him (ok maybe he never balanced it very well) but basically I think Axl struggled with being who was naturally born as and who people around him said he needed to be. Fame likely only exacerbated this for him. It ensured that everyone was going to be able to observe him from afar and make their own conclusions. I really believe he liked the attention of people caring and chiming in...but disagreed with everyone's opinions.
In other words, I can't imagine growing up in Indiana did much for his own self-esteem and self-image. There he was constantly told that he was the problem. He goes to Hollywood and all the things that Indiana was trying to repress were the things that people were most interested in. To me, that alone would be quit the mind-fuck over the years.
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
I was in doubt about how this topic would be seen, it's a delicate topic. But it's cool to see similar thoughts about it. And it would be nice if he has actually managed to solve this, he is one of the most important people to me, though he does not even know I exist. I want your happiness. 
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
For whatever reason he does seem happier on stage. Even when things fucked up the other week like that sound issue that botched november rain - he just made a joke and moved on - you would imagine some years that might have ruined the whole show.
Re: Axl and Bipolarity
In other words, I can't imagine growing up in Indiana did much for his own self-esteem and self-image. There he was constantly told that he was the problem. He goes to Hollywood and all the things that Indiana was trying to repress were the things that people were most interested in. To me, that alone would be quit the mind-fuck over the years.
Quite. There was this article, which looked back at Axl's years in Lafayette as the ne'er-do-well Bill Bailey and his transformation into a rock star. Gleaned out the good bits in this thread.
Have said it before, Axl (in the past, anyway) is quick to attack you, if he feels you suddenly pop up to threaten his personal space or other people he cares about. And he gets angered real hard real quick, when he does. This was, for a long time, a real issue for him. He gave no quarter, no benefit of doubt. He thought you've slighted him, and that was enough.
Of course, when the anger management issue is mixed with paranoia, you get a difficult person when you fail to communicate. A person like that may often assume, by default, that people around him try to cause him problems. This means he's set to get angry at anyone, any time, on anything. This person happens to own and control GNR assets, making him rich and influential - and everybody who wants to deal with Guns needs to tolerate his behavior.
As a layman, I'd say a lot of his behavior has to do with his sense of security and peace. In the past, he's often flown into a show at the last minute. Nerves. Then he does his personal warm-up, which includes psyching up. Axl, at best, is possessed on stage. I very much believe he has a process at the venue to achieve this. Because, again, he's often been too anxious to show up on time, yet by the time he actually does reach the stage, he's turned into a man on fire.
Axl the Rockstar seemingly has (had) the same fundamental issue as Axl the person. Sensitive as a flower, his temper resting on a razor's edge. As others said above, he didn't have the best of childhood homes, and he was likely bullied a lot by older kids, as he was easy to provoke. When he hit his teens, the Lafayette cops soon knew who he was, and he'd often get singled out as a prime suspect (scapegoat) for anything.
That sort of thing is really a two-way negative relationship. Authority figures and Axl were at odds, because both learned to expect the worst from the other. The Rockstar life blew his ego to the stratosphere and surrounded him with sycophants, who told him what he wanted to hear instead of what he needed. After the UYI tour wrapped, that mobile support network was gone and he came home to an empty mansion to have a whole bunch of people, including ex-spouses, suing him.
Therefore, I'd say he's experienced those negative cycles on an ever-increasing scale. He retreated from the public eye simply because it all got too much for him. Does all this make him bipolar? Nah, but he would've definitely needed more stability. Many people have said it's too bad he's yet to have a family (for all we know), as Axl really seems to enjoy having kids around, particularly on Halloween. Those parties are probably what Bill Bailey dreamed about, but was never invited.
Pages: 1
