Have you ever been struck by a state of inability to write even though you really wish to write? You are holding a pen, staring at the blank sheet of paper but lack the ability... Not even the ability but what should be written next. You are completely helpless and bereft of ideas to write about. Well, I have been hearing about this and thought all along that it all exists only in the imagination of its peddlers. But lol and behold; I was wrong! Today I was struck by it for several hours. I even thought I wasn't going to come up with any article today. Indeed, we are all handiworks of Uncaused Cause; no one runs away from the forces of nature. This is an existential reality!

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I fought this condition for some hours to no avail. I had to inform my community — Euronation and seek their counseling. While some advised me to take a walk for a while, others advised me to go for a nap. I however decided to conduct some searches on what it is and how to overcome it, and finally was able to find some interesting information on writer's block, including its home remedies, which were of immense help to me. Because we are a community of writers and great content creators, I will be sharing this information with us in this article, hoping that it will be of great help to someone out there either now or in the future.

Possible causes of writer's block

There are many schools of thought as to what causes writer’s block. One school of thought believes that it is as a result of author's lack of knowledge on the topic of interest. Another school of thought posits that lack of inspiration in the choosen topic is the cause; that when authors are not inspired by a given topic, it becomes boring to write on it, a development that will eventually lead to the block.

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Generally, any sickness, they say, that its cause has been established is at least 80% cured. If for nothing sake, at least one knows where to direct treatment. Based on this, below is what's generally agreed as being responsible for writer's block:

• Sleep problems
• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
• Fatigue
• Stress
• Drug withdrawal
• Emotional fuel
• Psychotropic medications
• Medical conditions
• Psychomotor slowing
• Motivational deficit
• Neurological slowing
• Alcohol/drugs
• Shift in brain activity
• Depression
• Analysis paralysis, and
• Anxiety

The symptoms of writer's block

The symptoms of writer's block vary with individuals. While some may experience difficulty in coming up with ideas to translate into writing, others lack ability to concentrate. Some persons may experience a combination of both symptoms. Generally, symptoms of writer's block an individual experiences may include some or all of the conditions stated below:

• Frustration
• Lack of inspiration
• Drawing black: in this case, you really wanna write something but any attempt at doing so results in you drawing a blank. In others words, your brain feels completely shut down. All you can think is blackness as there is no thought to expand upon.
• Inability to focus
• Stress
• Brain fog: Brain fog is considered a temporary or permanent alteration in one’s consciousness in which it becomes difficult to think clearly and perform cognitively demanding tasks.Source

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Strategies to overcoming writer's block

To successfully overcome your writer’s block, you must determine its cause. Ask your whether your inability to write is caused by lack of inspiration or materials to derive ideas from. Or is it as a result of your psychomotor slowing down? Whatever it is, know that what works for Mr A may not work for Mr B. Effectiveness of particular solutions vary with individuals. It is important to note this.

Below are some coping strategies that have been found to be effective in different individuals, including myself. I will just list them but where I consider the terminology important, I will leave a brief explanation:

• Find inspiration
• Avoid perfectionism: don't over think or over analyze what you have already writing down, thinking it is substandard.
• Change environment
• Engagement in brainstorming exercise
• Read something different
• Research to have good knowledge of the subject before writing
• Cut distraction
• Forced writing: just force yourself to write just anything relating to the topic you want to develop. I used this strategy to begin this piece. It works!
• Sleep: it has been determined that sleep is restorative to optimal brain functioning as it give a break to recover after functioning for some time. Lack of sleep or enough sleep is strongly implicated in writer's Block.
• Take a glass of caffeine: this is used globally to speed up cognition. It is a popularly known natural stimulant. If you feel sluggish in your mental activity, you may consider taking a glass of coffee.
• Consider relaxation: this is the best know remedy to stressed condition. Stress affects our cognitive ability which may lead to writer's block.
• Consider taking a break for some hours.

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Maybe you are here and you are always been tormented by writer's block, don't feel too troubled as you are not alone in this. It affects every writers. Or perhaps you have had to deal with it severally, please kindly consider sharing with fellow Steemians the strategy you used. A lot of folks battling with it may find your advice very useful in overcoming it. If you have never been affected by it but have some information as to how it could be treated, share with us for no knowledge is a waste. Thanks for reading.

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Yours truly,
@eurogee

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