Epilepsy and Famous Writers

Welcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 437 - Epilepsy and Famous Writers

Today, Celebrate Creativity is beginning a new series, one that peels back the layers on a topic rarely discussed in   the hallowed halls of literature. We're going to talk about famous writers who lived with epilepsy.

Now I did not just randomly choose the topic of creativity and epilepsy. You see, as some of you may know, my family and I went to Washington DC when I was in the eighth grade, and saw Bob Dylan.  The next day, I came back to my high school and had my first epileptic seizure while walking down the hall - I think I've said before, my dear mother always believed from that point on that Bob Dylan caused my seizure - his music may be powerful, but I doubt that it is that powerful.  Anyway I spent several weeks at the University of Virginia Hospital, and was prescribed Dilantin - a drug that controlled my seizures for the most part.  A few years later, the doctors changed my anticonvulsant medication to Depakote - a much newer drug that was ironically smuggled into the United States by a neurologist.  It had been used with great success in Europe, and since I started taking Depakote, I have not had any seizures.  No I don't wanna give anybody false hope and say that you might get the same results if you were in a similar situation, but I can say I know what it's like to go through years where I did not know if I would remain conscious or not - I didn’t particularly view epilepsy as a gift.  So those experiences have led me to examine if creativity and epilepsy were related in various talented individuals from the past in this podcast. And to my surprise, there does seem to be some connection between creativity and epilepsy - this is still rather controversial.  I found many great individuals who suffered from epilepsy - far more than I could deal with in a few episodes - so initially I am confining my exploration of individuals with epilepsy to only writers with a seizure disorder- I hope to get into some other areas - such as artists and musicians - in the future - but in this series, I am going to try and concentrate on writers although I know I'm gonna wander off into other disciplines now and then.

Transcript

Welcome to Celebrate Creativity - Episode 437 - Epilepsy and Famous Writers

Today, Celebrate Creativity is beginning a new series, one that peels back the layers on a topic rarely discussed in   the hallowed halls of literature. We're going to talk about famous writers who lived with epilepsy.

Now I did not just randomly choose the topic of creativity and epilepsy. You see, as some of you may know, my family and I went to Washington DC when I was in the eighth grade, and saw Bob Dylan.  The next day, I came back to my high school and had my first epileptic seizure while walking down the hall - I think I've said before, my dear mother always believed from that point on that Bob Dylan caused my seizure - his music may be powerful, but I doubt that it is that powerful.  Anyway I spent several weeks at the University of Virginia Hospital, and was prescribed Dilantin - a drug that controlled my seizures for the most part.  A few years later, the doctors changed my anticonvulsant medication to Depakote - a much newer drug that was ironically smuggled into the United States by a neurologist.  It had been used with great success in Europe, and since I started taking Depakote, I have not had any seizures.  No I don't wanna give anybody false hope and say that you might get the same results if you were in a similar situation, but I can say I know what it's like to go through years where I did not know if I would remain conscious or not - I didn’t particularly view epilepsy as a gift.  So those experiences have led me to examine if creativity and epilepsy were related in various talented individuals from the past in this podcast. And to my surprise, there does seem to be some connection between creativity and epilepsy - this is still rather controversial.  I found many great individuals who suffered from epilepsy - far more than I could deal with in a few episodes - so initially I am confining my exploration of individuals with epilepsy to only writers with a seizure disorder- I hope to get into some other areas - such as artists and musicians - in the future - but in this series, I am going to try and concentrate on writers although I know I'm gonna wander off into other disciplines now and then.

Now, for centuries, epilepsy was extremely misunderstood, shrouded in superstition and fear. It was called "the sacred disease," "the falling sickness," a malady of divine inspiration or demonic possession. The public imagination saw it as a curse, a sign of weakness, or a harbinger of madness. Yet, throughout history, some of the world's most brilliant minds have navigated its challenges, not just in their private lives, but often, in their creative output.

Think about it. The act of writing is one of control, of shaping chaos into narrative, of building worlds with words. What is it like to be a master of this craft when your own body can, without warning, become a realm of chaos itself? How does a condition defined by sudden, involuntary seizures influence the very mind that crafts stories, poems, and essays? Does the experience of a seizure—that moment of a disconnect from reality, of altered consciousness and intense sensation—find its way onto the page, consciously or unconsciously?

In this series, we'll explore the lives and works of writers such as Fyodor Dostoevsky, whose profound explorations of suffering, morality, and altere d states of consciousness are often seen as directly tied to his own struggles with epilepsy. We’ll look at the vivid, often unsettling, prose of Gustave Flaubert, who also experienced seizures and whose meticulous, almost surgical, approach to writing might have been a way of asserting control over a body that felt unpredictable. I also plan to examine the life of Lewis Carroll, the man who gave us the whimsical, nonsensical world of Wonderland, a world that some scholars argue is a reflection of his own dizzying experiences. We will also talk about writers like Harriet Tubman, a towering figure of courage and freedom, whose visions and "spells" after a childhood head injury may have been seizures, and whose spiritual and prophetic leadership was shaped by this very experience.

This isn't about reducing their genius to a medical condition. It's about understanding the full, complex tapestry of their lives. It's about seeing how they wove this particular thread—epilepsy—into the fabric of their art. Their stories remind us that vulnerability is not an absence of strength, but often, its very source. They show us that the mind can be both a battlefield and a wellspring of creativity, and that even in moments of profound physical and mental challenge, the human spirit can soar to unimaginable heights.
So join us as we embark on this journey. We'll be looking the great works themselves, to illuminate the lives of these writers who, in a world that often saw them as broken, proved to be more whole and brilliant than most.

Now the relationship between epilepsy and creativity is a topic with both historical roots and modern neuroscientific interest. Throughout history, epilepsy has been viewed not just as a medical condition, but as a source of divine inspiration or genius

The idea that epilepsy and genius are linked dates back to ancient times. The Greeks called it "the sacred disease," believing seizures were a sign of a person being touched by the gods. This belief persisted for centuries, associating the altered states of consciousness during a seizure with a form of spiritual or creative insight. However, this view co-existed with immense stigma and fear, where others saw the condition as demonic possession or a sign of madness. This duality—seeing it as both a curse and a gift—has shaped public perception for millennia.

Modern science offers a more nuanced explanation. While there's no single "creativity gene" in people with epilepsy, some research suggests a link between certain types of seizures and heightened creative activity, particularly in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE). The temporal lobes are involved in memory, emotion, and sensory perception. Seizures in this region can lead to a phenomenon known as "temporal lobe personality" or "interictal behavior syndrome," characterized by a range of traits including hypergraphia (an intense desire to write), hyper-religiosity, and a deepened emotionality. This excess neural activity may stimulate regions of the brain associated with creativity, leading to heightened artistic or literary output.

For many writers and artists, the experience of epilepsy has directly informed their work.

Fyodor Dostoevsky's novels, such as The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov, feature characters with epilepsy and are filled with a profound exploration of human suffering, spirituality, and altered states of consciousness—themes deeply rooted in his own experience with the disease. He described the "aura" preceding a seizure as a moment of overwhelming bliss and insight.
Gustave Flaubert, known for his meticulous and realistic writing style, also lived with epilepsy. Some scholars speculate that his rigid discipline and obsession with language were a way of asserting control over a body and mind that felt unpredictable.
And we certainly will be going into these other writers later.

Now, while not a writer, Tthe artist Vincent van Gogh is also thought to have had epilepsy, possibly influenced by his substance use and a family history of mental illness. His vibrant, emotionally charged paintings are seen by some as a visual representation of the "storm within" he described.

The creative act can also serve as a coping mechanism for people with epilepsy. Art, writing, or music can provide an outlet for processing the anxiety, fear, and social stigma associated with the condition. It can be a way to regain a sense of control and express the inexpressible, transforming a chaotic medical experience into a coherent artistic statement.

While the lives of writers like Dostoevsky and Flaubert are central to this podcast series, discussing Vincent van Gogh's epilepsy provides a powerful, visual context for the connection between creativity and the condition. Though he was a painter, not a writer, his struggles and artistic output are a case study in how a neurological disorder can profoundly influence an artist's work.

It's important to note that a definitive medical diagnosis of Vincent van Gogh's and many writers illness is impossible today. However, many experts, including his treating physicians, believed he suffered from a form of temporal lobe epilepsy. This type of epilepsy originates in the brain's temporal lobes, which are associated with emotions, sensory perception, and memory. Seizures in this area can manifest as hallucinations, mood swings, and altered states of consciousness, which align with descriptions from Van Gogh's letters and the accounts of those who knew him.

Van Gogh himself, in a letter to his brother Theo, wrote about his "nervous crises" and "horrible fits of anxiety," which could be interpreted as auras or pre-seizure symptoms.

The potential link between Van Gogh's epilepsy and his art is a fascinating subject of debate. The condition may have influenced his art in several ways:

Vivid Colors and Swirling Forms: The intense, swirling brushstrokes and heightened colors in works like The Starry Night and Café Terrace at Night might be a visual representation of his "psychomotor" seizures. These types of seizures can cause a person to experience complex hallucinations, including distorted or enhanced perceptions of light and color.

The "Yellow Period": Some scholars have suggested that Van Gogh's frequent use of the color yellow was a side effect of digitalis, a medication derived from foxglove that was used to treat epilepsy and heart conditions at the time.

Hypergraphia and Artistic Output: Similar to the hypergraphia seen in some patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, Van Gogh had an astonishingly prolific period of artistic output in the last two years of his life. He created over 200 paintings in the final year alone, a burst of creative energy that may be linked to the neurological activity in his temporal lobe.

While Van Gogh's condition was likely a complex mix of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and perhaps even alcohol and lead poisoning, the theory of temporal lobe epilepsy offers a compelling lens through which to view his art. It suggests that his tumultuous life and psychological pain were not just separate from his work, but were deeply intertwined with and gave shape to his extraordinary creative vision.

I know this is a little bit off from epilepsy and writers, but it is true that many
art experts theorized that there was a connection between van Gogh’s epilepsy and his vivid paintings - particularly his characteristic use of color and turbulent, swirling forms. While a definitive posthumous diagnosis is impossible, the prevailing theory among many is that he suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

You see, the brain's temporal lobes are heavily involved in emotion, memory, and visual perception. Seizures in this region, which Van Gogh's doctors noted, can cause a person to experience complex sensory disturbances and altered states of consciousness. It is theorized that these experiences directly influenced his art:

Works such as The Starry Night and Café Terrace at Night are famous for their intense colors and dynamic, swirling brushstrokes. Some believe this could be a visual representation of his "psychomotor" seizures, which can cause intense hallucinations and distorted perceptions of light and movement.

And Van Gogh's strong preference for yellow in paintings, particularly those from his later years, is often linked to his treatment for epilepsy. One of his doctors, Dr. Paul-Ferdinand Gachet, is believed to have treated him with digitalis, a medication derived from foxglove. A known side effect of digitalis toxicity is xanthopsia, a condition where a person's vision is tinted yellow. Van Gogh even painted portraits of Dr. Gachet with foxglove in the background.

It's important to remember that Van Gogh's condition was likely a complex mix of disorders, possibly including bipolar disorder and substance abuse, which could have exacerbated his seizures. However, the connection between his art and his speculated temporal lobe epilepsy remains a significant and compelling theory among scholars.  But I digress - back to the question of is there a connection between epilepsy and flashes of creativity in writing.

And yes, there is a recognized and documented connection between certain forms of epilepsy and flashes of creativity, particularly in writing. This phenomenon is most often associated with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

The key term to understand this link is hypergraphia.

Hypergraphia: The Compulsion to Write
Hypergraphia is a behavioral condition characterized by an intense, sometimes compulsive, desire to write. It's a symptom that has been observed in some people with TLE. Neurologists Stephen Waxman and Norman Geschwind were among the first to formally describe hypergraphia in the 1970s, noting that some of their patients with TLE displayed highly detailed, copious, and even creatively-driven writing.

Now, this isn't just about an increased urge to write; it can manifest in various ways:

Voluminous Output: Sufferers may fill notebooks, diaries, or even scraps of paper with extensive and meticulous writing.

Deep Personal or Philosophical Content: The writing often delved into profound religious, philosophical, or moral themes.

Compulsive Nature: The urge to write can be so strong that interrupting the person can cause significant distress or irritability.

This phenomenon is thought to be a result of the altered brain activity in the temporal lobes. The excessive neural activity in these regions, which are involved in memory, emotion, and language, may disinhibit or stimulate other parts of the brain related to creativity and language generation.

The Auras and Post-Ictal States
Beyond the interictal (between seizures) state of hypergraphia, the seizure itself can be a source of creative material. Many people with TLE experience auras—sensory or emotional sensations that precede a seizure. These auras can be vivid, intense, and deeply personal.

Fyodor Dostoevsky famously described his pre-seizure aura as a moment of overwhelming bliss and insight, a feeling of "supreme harmony."

Some contemporary writers with epilepsy have described the "brain fog" that follows a seizure as a state where their mind is shaken up, leading to "strange ideas, vivid images, words connected bizarrely" that they can then use in their work.

Creativity as a Coping Mechanism
It's also important to consider that for many writers with epilepsy, the act of writing is not just a symptom of their condition but a profound way of processing it. Writing can be a tool for:
Channeling Intense Emotions: The fear, anxiety, and even the moments of altered consciousness can be processed and transformed into a narrative as well as Creating Order from Chaos: The meticulous and disciplined nature of writing can be a way for an individual to assert a sense of control over a body and mind that feels unpredictable.

While the connection between epilepsy and creativity is not universal and can be impacted by factors such as medication, the documented cases of hypergraphia and the firsthand accounts of writers show a clear and fascinating link between a neurological condition and the artistic impulse.
in the 1970s.  

This study was groundbreaking and fundamentally changed how some neurologists and psychologists viewed the connection between epilepsy and creativity. The work was primarily done by neurologists Stephen Waxman and Norman Geschwind, who were the first to systematically describe the phenomenon of hypergraphia in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Their research was significant because it moved the conversation away from purely anecdotal evidence (like with Dostoevsky) and provided a neurological basis for these behaviors. They documented cases of patients who, in the absence of a seizure, would fill notebooks with highly detailed, copious, and often creatively-driven writing. The writing was not just a simple record of events; it often delved into complex personal feelings, philosophical musings, and religious or moral preoccupations.

The Significance of their Findings
The work of Waxman and Geschwind had several important implications:

Neurological Basis for Creative Drive: It provided a compelling argument that a neurological condition could directly stimulate a creative drive. The theory was that the repeated, abnormal electrical discharges in the temporal lobes—which are crucial for language, memory, and emotion—could lead to a heightened and disorganized stimulation of brain areas responsible for these functions. This, in turn, manifested as a powerful compulsion to write and a deepened inner life.

Challenging the Stigma of Epilepsy: By connecting a specific type of epilepsy to an intellectual and creative behavior, their work helped to counter the long-standing stigma that epilepsy was a sign of intellectual deficit or "madness." It provided a scientific framework for understanding that a neurological condition could lead to a unique kind of creative expression.

A Model for Studying Brain Function: Their research on TLE and hypergraphia provided a valuable model for studying the complex interplay between different brain regions. It suggested that a localized neurological dysfunction could have widespread effects on personality and behavior, offering a window into how the brain generates thought, emotion, and creativity.

The hypergraphia described by Waxman and Geschwind is not a universal experience for all people with TLE, and many people with the condition do not experience this creative compulsion. However, their pioneering work remains a cornerstone of the medical and psychological understanding of the connection between epilepsy and the creative impulse, and it provides a strong foundation for exploring the lives of writers like Dostoevsky, whose prolific and thematically intense writing seems to align with these very findings.

Sources include Gemini AI

Join Celebrate Creativity for episode 438 - the beginning of two episodes about Lord George Byron.

Thank you for listening to celebrate creativity.