Hypergraphia — Is Writing Addicting?
“Hypergraphia is essentially the opposite of writer’s block. It’s driven, compulsive writing“
In 2004, the neurologist Alice W. Flaherty wrote a book about her experiences with manic hypergraphia. She explains:
“The sight of a computer keyboard or a blank page gave me the same rush that drug addicts get from seeing their freebasing paraphernalia.”
It’s like you’re an obsessive, insane writer with a manic urge to write.
You have so much energy, you can’t do anything but write:
- the words just gush out of you,
- your hand is constantly typing, writing or painting incessantly,
- even on toilet paper,
- your head is full of words, ideas and thoughts that you cannot control,
- writing makes you feel inspired and as good as never before.
This can go on for several weeks until you fall into a deep state of exhaustion.