Handwriting Change as a Psychiatric Symptom

Graphology is the study and analysis of handwriting especially in relation to human psychology. Many neurological disorders like apraxia and chorea can affect handwriting. Many psychiatric disorders like Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, schizophrenia are also linked with handwriting change. A unique presentation of major depressive disorder manifesting as chief complain of handwriting change was observed in a girl who had nice handwriting before depression. In spite of constant efforts she was not able to revert back to her original handwriting. Her new handwritings were different from old one in form of width and height of letters, organization and overall presentation. She was prescribed antidepressants. Depressive symptoms were relieved and her handwriting started gradually improving considerably though previous level had not been achieved.

Analysis of handwriting as a tool to understand the emotional state of person can be implicated during psychiatric assessment. The written off science of graphology needs to be made specific and sensitive so that it could provide more accurate results. Further research in this area is warranted.