Idiosyncrasy: A Crazy Habit?

Idiosyncrasy

(n.)

1 A: A peculiarity of constitution or temperament: an individualizing characteristic or quality.

B: Individual hypersensitiveness (as to drug or food)

2 Characteristic peculiarity (as of temperament); broadly [Merriam-Webster Dictionary]

Many people think that being unique is one of the gifts that God has given every individual. Yet sometimes, these quirky reactions to unexpected events, emotions or things are getting way beyond control and could be a cause of unwanted social criticisms.

I personally have idiosyncratic ideas that began with simple habits. I’d rather cry before writing and once I have finished crying, I could finish an article without stopping for 30 minutes. I have overgrown some of them but many of them have been with me like, FOREVER. I want milk over coffee when trying to make myself stay awake at night. I can’t cut my own fingernails unless my father does this for me.

There are some famous people who develop some habit that later on made them different from others and for some reasons branded them as mentally ill. Some links idiosyncrasies with phobias as well. Others try to prove that idiosyncrasies are a product of a person’s insecurities.

Quirky ways of Idiosyncrasy

Some people have developed these kinds of habits during times that they feel pressured. Writers do have this kind of personality. Some can’t write unless they have their IPods stuck into their ears. Others have this ritual of walking around the halls or around their village before finishing their writings.

Some have this unusual way of eating a banana- they MUST have it peeled by others. Some can’t drink medicines without having it broken into pieces before taking it.

Worst scenario would include having sex with an animal before starting to write. Some try to kill themselves first before going to sleep. Some try to repeatedly check if the doors are locked even if they are just staying inside their house.

Writers with Idiosyncrasy

Strange habits of some writers from long ago are prominent because of the unusual mannerism that helps them in gathering ideas for their writings. Some of the writers with serious cases of idiosyncrasies are as follows:

• Skilla, a German poet has this habit of placing a plate that is full of rotten apples in a table before writing. He said that the smell of these rotten apples help him in collecting beautiful ideas for his writing.

• Charles Dickens is said to read and laugh after writing a funny situation in his novel and also shed tears after reading sorrowful parts of his work. Before giving his work for publication, he would usually revise and rewrite the drafts of his novel for several times.

• Antony Parsons a well known detective novelist was said to not sleep once he start writing a new novel. Only after finishing a novel story that was the time that he ate until his stomach is full and slept for 2 days straight!

Queer as it may seem, but it is innate for every person to have their own way of staring or finishing a certain type of work. Their mannerism of getting into track may make them crazy but this does not degrade them from becoming normal. So, what are your idiosyncrasies?