Mr. Write's Page

ma·ni·a — Noun. An excessively intense enthusiasm, interest, or desire; a craze: a mania for neatness. Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L < Gk manía madness.

-mania — A combining form of mania, e.g. megalomania, bibliomania, extended to mean “enthusiasm, often of an extreme and perhaps transient nature,” for that specified by the initial element.

Examples of manias:

Ablutomania — A mania for washing oneself
Aboulomania — Pathological indecisiveness
Anthomania — An obsession with flowers
Balletomania — Abnormal fondness for ballet
Bibliomania — A craze for books or reading
Bruxomania — A compulsion for grinding teeth
Cacodemomania — The pathological belief that one is inhabited by an evil spirit
Catapedamania — An obsession with jumping from high places
Chinamania — An obsession with collecting china
Clinomania — An excessive desire to stay in bed
Dinomania — A mania for dancing
Discomania — An obsession with disco music
Doramania — An obsession with owning furs
Doromania — An obsession with giving gifts
Drapetomania — An intense desire to run away from home
Dromomania — A compulsive longing for travel
Empleomania — A mania for holding public office
Enosimania — The pathological belief that one has sinned
Epomania — A craze for writing epics
Flagellomania — Abnormal enthusiasm for flogging
Francomania — A craze or obsession with France and the French
Gamomania — An obsession with proposing marriage
Graphomania — An obsession with writing
Hippomania — An obsession with horses
Islomania — A craze or obsession for islands
Kleptomania — An irrational predilection for stealing
Macromania — The delusion that objects are larger than natural size
Megalomania — A preoccupation with omnipotence; delusions of grandeur
Metromania — The insatiable desire to write poems
Musomania — An obsession with music
Oniomania — A mania for making purchases
Onomatomania — The irresistible desire to repeat repeat certain words words
Orchidomania — An abnormal obsession with orchids
Polkamania — A craze for polka dancing
Pteridomania — A passion for ferns
Pyromania — A craze for starting fires
Sophomania — The delusion that one is incredibly intelligent
Theatromania — A craze for going to plays
Timbromania — An obsession with stamp collecting
Trichotillomania — A craving to pull out one’s own hair
Tulipomania — An obsession with tulips
Zoomania — An insane fondness for animals

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In reading up on manias (in a rational and non-obsessive way, I assure you), I found one that isn’t a “-mania” by name, but definitely qualifies anyway:

Cartacoethes — A compulsion to see maps in everything, including food.

This is fascinating stuff. Who knew that normal interests and aptitudes were so close to being pathological?

When, exactly, does a passion for stamps or tulips cross the line and warrant professional help?

I guess it depends on the mania. If your neighbor is into flogging people or jumping from high places, that’s one thing. But if he’s merely nuts about orchids or polka, what’s the harm? Let him do his thing.

A person should be allowed a few few few idiosyncrasies.

Ablutomania — A mania for washing oneself.

Clinomania — An excessive desire to stay in bed.

Aboulomania — Pathological indecisiveness.

Cartacoethes — A compulsion to see maps in everything.