Bibliomania Essay

340 Words2 Pages
Bibliomania is an O.C.D . that literally means "book madness". It was first recognized as an official disorder by John Ferriar (1761-1815). Bibliomania is caused by things like genes, brain chemistry, and even stress! Bibliomania is definitely not contagious. It is however, usually, but not always, hereditary. Bibliomania is diagnosed through O.C.D, as Bibliomania is a form of O.C.D. O.C.D. has to do within performing rituals, or compulsions, to satisfy an obsession. Some symptoms of Bibliomania are: hoarding books to the point where social relations and health are damaged, and collecting many copies or editions of the same book. Many bibliomaniacs also sometimes steal books. For bibliomaniacs, there is a glitch in the neural transmitter serotonin, which disrupts the proper transmission of messages in the basal ganglia of the brain. The basal ganglia is responsible for regulating sensations, thoughts, and the ability to switch from one activity to another. Bibliomania can affect learning by consuming the bibliomaniac in books, thus preventing that person from learning, or even fully living. Bibliomania can be treated with C.B.T. , by changing the way that person thinks and behaves in response to obsession. It also helps to teach the person to confront fears, think realistically, and survive the doubt that they will be okay if they do not absorb all possible information from books. Bibliomania can also be treated with medication. Psychologists and Psychiatrists most commonly treat Bibliomania. Depending on the severity of the Bibliomania, a bibliomaniac can usually live a normal life. However, if the Bibliomania is severe enough, that might not be possible. A Bibliomaniac probably spends most of its time buying, going through, or even stealing books, with little time for anything else. I feel happy for opening a door to a little known disorder, yet I was
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