«Queen Charlotte,» the new season of The Bridgertons, has revealed the disorder suffered by King George III, the porphyriaA little-known disease, but one that the King of Great Britain had to battle with.
In the 17th century, the lack of knowledge about mental disorders led to the fact that, instead of porphyria, bipolarity or schizophrenia were associated with what disturbed George.
In fact, although after watching the series it was deduced that George III was suffering from porphyria, the records of the historic royal palaces only said that in 1765 the monarch began to show signs of suffering from a mental disorder, which worsened significantly in 1788, without giving many more details.
The pressure that any member of a royal house is subjected to is great. A king or queen has to set an example for an entire population, which can sometimes lead to stress or anxiety. Fulfilling what is expected of a king is not an easy task; every word, gesture or step that you take is highly studied, which does not allow the person to be as they want to be, regardless of their obligations. This is why this type of disorder can develop.
What is porphyria
It is a group of metabolic disorders that impair the production of porphyrins, which are essential substances for the formation of hemoglobin, the molecule responsible for transporting oxygen to the blood.
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In this case, porphyria has several types, acutemore focused on the nervous system, while the cutaneous It is related to the symptoms that appear on the skin. For those who have not seen this new season of Bridgerton, it focuses on the acute porphyria suffered by George III. Although we will talk about both, we will focus more on the acute one, and its symptoms, to relate it to different scenes in the series.
Causes of porphyria
The causes within the cutaneous may be due to the excessive exposure to light solarbut also to environmental factors that trigger skin reactions, such as allergies or dermatitis.
Instead, the causes of the acute It is triggered by the stress or anxietysome medications and even alcohol consumption.
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Symptoms of porphyria
Depending on which type of disease you have, the symptoms will vary.
In the case of acute porphyria the most common symptoms are:
- Severe abdominal pain.
- Muscle weakness.
- Mental changes, such as anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia, disorientation and even psychosis. In this case, “Queen Charlotte” is undoubtedly what has been given the most visibility. Spoiler alert!For all those fans of the series, you will surely remember the moment when Jorge goes out completely naked, hallucinating and trembling, to the palace garden trying to communicate with «Venus». A Venus that only existed in his head and not in real life.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Palpitations.
While in cutaneous porphyria, we find symptoms such as:
- Skin changes. Blisters, scars, or unusual pigmentation.
- Sudden swelling of the skin.
- Sensitivity to the sun and sometimes also to artificial light.
- Increased hair growth in the affected areas.
- Thin and very fragile skin, which can sometimes lead to changes in skin color.
- Itch.
Porphyria and mental health
In the 18th century, mental health was hardly given any importance. In fact, we can see how in «The Bridgertons» they tried to keep King George's public appearances to a minimum, so as not to expose his condition. At that time, diagnosis was very complicated, since the necessary tools were not available, as is the case today.
Knowing that the King suffered from a mental health ailment, the assistance of mental health specialist Francis Willis was requested, whose approach was extremely severe, which could be seen reflected in the series and in different scenes in which King George can be seen being seated in the electric chair, having his legs burned to make him endure the pain and even having his head immersed in water without the option of breathing properly, all of this leading to the King's isolation.
Nowadays, it is essential to make an early diagnosis, in order to be able to treat it in online therapy. Symptoms related to mental health should always be treated by a specialized psychologist, who will provide adequate treatment. It is true that there is no total cure for porphyria, but going to therapy will be essential, especially for those people who suffer from acute porphyria.
The person who suffers from acute porphyria has to fight an internal battle, in which thousands of voices will tell him what to do, without knowing which one to listen to. In the case of «The Bridgertons» we have seen this reflected in several moments of the series, such as every time Jorge had to face an intense conversation with his mother.
The psychologist will provide a series of mechanisms to help patients live in the best possible way with porphyria, but above all with its symptoms.
- Living with porphyria can be emotionally exhausting for the person who suffers from it. Therefore, going to a psychologist as part of the treatment for it will be vital.
- The role of the psychologist is crucial, as with therapy, he or she will provide a safe and confidential space for patients to open up and express what is happening to them, their fears and how it affects their daily lives. From there, the patient will be given a series of guidelines to understand and process their emotions.
- As we saw during the series, when King George began to develop even a symptom of porphyria, the hand of his wife or simply that of his servant was enough to calm him down. Being surrounded by people who understand what you are going through, do not judge you and are there when you need them is vital to not giving it so much importance.
It is important to remember that mental health is a key element on the path to a full life, even in the face of the challenges of a chronic illness, such as porphyria.
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