Alice Weaver Flaherty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Flaherty
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Alice Flaherty in 2013
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| Born |
Alice Weaver Flaherty
21 July 1963 |
| Spouse(s) |
Andrew John Hrycyna
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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Alice Weaver Flaherty is an American neurologist. She is a doctor, researcher, and teacher who also writes books. One of her most famous books is called The Midnight Disease. It talks about how our brains help us be creative and what happens when writers get "writer's block."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alice Flaherty was born on July 21, 1963, in Morristown, New Jersey. Her father, Franklin Trimby Flaherty, was a mechanical engineer, and her mother, Sarah Louise Flaherty, was a librarian.
She grew up in Brookside, a small community in Mendham Township, New Jersey. Alice graduated from West Morris Mendham High School. She then went to Harvard University for her college degree and her medical degree. She also completed a special training program called a fellowship there. Later, she earned a Ph.D. from MIT.
Her Work as a Doctor and Researcher
Alice Flaherty is a professor of neurology and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She works as a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. A neurologist is a doctor who studies and treats problems with the brain and nervous system. A psychiatrist is a doctor who helps people with mental health conditions.
She was the first person to lead the Brain Stimulator Unit in the neurology department at Massachusetts General Hospital. In this unit, she uses special tools called deep brain stimulators. These tools help treat brain and mental health conditions. Her research looks at how we control our actions. It also explores how our brains understand our bodies. These studies help doctors understand conditions like depression and Parkinson's.
Her Books and Writings
Dr. Flaherty writes many different kinds of things. These include scientific papers, funny essays, and picture books. Her book, The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Neurology, was a very popular textbook for many years.
Her most famous book is The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer's Block, and the Creative Brain. This book was listed as one of the "Best Books of 2004" by newspapers like The Washington Post and The San Francisco Chronicle.
Understanding Hypergraphia
After a very sad time in her life, Alice Flaherty experienced something called hypergraphia. This is an extremely strong urge to write. She woke up one morning feeling an overwhelming need to write down everything on her mind. She says she could not stop writing for four months.
She had a similar experience after the birth of her twin girls, who survived. After these experiences, her ability to create new works became much stronger. Her book, The Midnight Disease, helps explain this amazing brain phenomenon.
Media Appearances
Alice Flaherty has shared her knowledge with many people through media. In 2019, she gave a TEDx talk titled Danger and Creativity. She also worked as a consultant for two TV drama shows that were based on her life. These shows were called The Madness of Jane and Hysteria.
She has appeared on many TV and radio shows. She speaks up for patients who have brain illnesses. She was also featured on a podcast called The Great God of Depression. A painting of her, called Museum Epiphany 3, is displayed in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She was also the main person in a short documentary film called Bedside Manner, which won an award in 2016.
