SPIKE MILLIGAN DIED MARCH 2002

THE GOONS,

SPIKE MILLIGAN SUFFERED FROM MANIC DEPRESSION

TV PROGRAMME ABOUT HIS LIFE – 7^th March 2002.

There is a huge price to be paid in loneliness. Spike spoke of an overly active brain, moving in all dimensions. He reported that he had a very strong feeling that he could not cope with children. He said that mistakes made, remain with you as persecutors. His first marriage broke up due to his wife’s adultery. Spike proved in retrospect highly critical of his contribution to the marriage. He deemed himself to be too watchful of what his wife was spending. He also deemed the system wrong that she was held responsible through adultery for the divorce grounds and not his mental illness. (Ironically, I thought the reverse when it applied to me and as it still does in the eyes of the Church).

He was a romantic and very much in love with his first wife. He referred to a ‘token suicide’ that he attempted after she left. He acknowledges it was a ‘cry for help’. This led on to the characteristic period of withdrawal from society. To try and redress the balance over the grounds for divorce, he wrote a book of poems.

Quite interestingly, his four children stated that they were happy to have been brought up by their father despite his ‘ups and downs’.  It is worth noting that eccentric behaviour can be so appealing to children.   He used to engage in games with their imagination. He would write notes and hide them and the children would find them – it constructed an imaginary game. These notes would be signed by the Pixies and Fairies.

My fondest memories of JJ, my cousin, (a manic depressive) with whom I spent a considerable amount of time and who also knew Spike, were his visits from England nearly every weekend.  JJ would sit in the black chair in the kitchen in Belper, our rambling home. Shane (his Godson) and I could swish around the chair amusing ourselves greatly. Basically, Shane and I ‘tortured the man’ in our childish ways. I had lots of questions and used to like combing his virtually non-existent hair. Now I know why he just sat – unlike others he never tried to tickle us or catch us. I know why now because I am the next generation family member with manic depression. When I see my nieces and nephew, I am like a ‘sack of potatoes’ – Lithium and the other medications have side effects. Muscle weakness occurs and strength is minimal. The great thing is the human brain adjusts so you can be the passive being with young people and put your mind into play and create imaginary jaunts that might equally entertain them. We are talking about Vicarious Compensation. We need to openly recognise this. Holistic education exists in Canada and it is my belief that it is critical to teach people ‘life coping skills’ and make others aware of differences that exist between people.

Spike Milligan had a socially driven mindset. He hated the hardship in the world. His view for the future of the human race was negative. Being a creative, he tended to take world problems and issues on his own shoulders as if they applied to him personally. I truly understand this. Two of ‘us’ who had been part of the Trinity Horizon Programme – a rehabilitation workshop for women with depression, shared our deep concern about Foot and Mouth last year – it proved to have serious effects for both of us. Our rational minds told us it was irrational but not our emotions….

The tendency when Spike started thinking was to keep adding on – never going back and consolidating a point – his mind would be moving too fast. His mind was very active and away ahead of others. This is often referred to as ‘racing thoughts’.

This Manic Depressive (Bipolar) illness is best viewed as:-

•  THE TAP BEING ON OR THE MIND CLOSED
•  NOTHING   –   I AM WORTH NOTHING

Spike Milligan served in the Second World War and sums it up best himself when he said ‘I ran out of guts’. He was discharged with Battle Fatigue/Shell Shock as mental disorders were described at that time.  Basically, he left the war, a manic depressive. After his mental illness, he would often comment ‘I did that when I was alive’

Spike Milligan was friendly with Peter Sellers. Peter Sellers would refer to Spike’s ‘Mad Abstract’ mind but that he was a very likeable man.  Spike Milligan’s work always attracted a ‘special type’ of audience. The kind that would move from laughter to near hysteria. Spike was deemed to thrive off the ideas of another and their thoughts became the springboard for his mind to move in all directions. He could generate so many ideas but never really had time to write them down.  Even when admitted to the mental hospital, he continued to write frenetically. To behave this way – there is an obsessive characteristic embedded behaviour.  Logic did not apply for Spike. He would continually change rules and add in more and flow onwards.

Think of Spike being asked for a few kind words and the reply to come:-

‘Librium, Valium etc.’

He believed it was perfectly okay to have a show with no beginning – no end. He would interrupt and input – no problem.  Spike was fascinated by what people want. The aim according to the way he thought was about making each other laugh.

Spike Milligan liked instant decisions and was extremely disciplined.

• THE KEY IS TO FIND SOMEONE TO FOCUS THE PERSON (especially if they are a manic depressive).
• THE MIND IN THE CASE OF A MANIC DEPRESSIVE IS DIVERSE.

Michelle: Hence now at 43, I know why I could not concentrate at school, it took a skull fracture and brain damage to teach me to focus……….most of the time………

ENJOY THE DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE AND LIFE!!!!!!

Michelle Clarke

Revised: 22/06/02

Revised: 27th April 2019