Intolerance of ambiguity and statothymia in manic-depressives

Shimoda described praesenile melancholics (monopolar (endogenous) depressives) and manic-depressives on the level of personality traits in a very similar way as certain clinical observations and empirical studies showed. We summarized these results under the heading of a role-theoretical, emotional, and cognitive intolerance of ambiguity (IA). IA as a characteristic not only of the melancholic and manic type of personality but also of clinical phenomena of depressive and manic phases, corresponds to what Shimoda on a more structural level calls a 'sticking to ideas and feelings.' This is meant with his notion of "statothymia". Shimoda's neurophysiological theory supposes an abnormality of the excitability of affects. In our view, IA is a consequence of the special identity formation of these patients. It is a coping mechanism as well as a vulnerability factor.