Ups and downs of a composer Like many highly creative people, composer Robert Schumann suffered from a mood disorder. He attempted suicide twice during bouts of severe depression and eventually died, in 1856, from self-starvation in an asylum. His depression waxed and waned over long cycles, and during two prolonged periods, in 1840 and 1849, he was hypomanic (exhibited moderate mania) (Jamison, 1995). Those were his most productive years by far: He composed 24 musical works in 1840 and 27 in 1849.
DEA/J. L. Charmet/DeAgostini/Getty Images