Migraines impact more people than you might think. Over 39 million people in the US experience migraines, though less than 50% ever receive a diagnosis and only 12% receive preventive treatment. Migraines can be debilitating and can make everyday tasks challenging while you’re having one.
Stephen King experiences chronic migraines and uses his pain to guide his writing. In his novel, Firestarter, King describes severe headaches as misery, whether they’re a dull ache or a steady, stabbing, blinding pain. Through his books, King has shared how his migraine attacks affect him.
The following passage from Firestarter highlights King's understanding of migraines: “The headache would get worse until it was a smashing weight, sending red pain through his head and neck with every pulse beat. Bright lights would make his eyes water helplessly and send darts of agony into the flesh just behind his eyes. Small noises magnified, ordinary noises insupportable.”
King isn’t the only writer who has used his experience with migraines to guide his explanations of them. Even Plato attempted to describe how miserable “a dismal headache” was. King often uses the studies behind headaches to help add depth to his characters and their stories. Writing about these symptoms allows King to illustrate the feelings and concern behind migraine attacks.
In the movie adaptation of Firestarter, the main character afflicted with migraines spends most of his time pressing his fingers to his temples. He also uses a form of telepathic mind control to disarm attackers even though it worsens his migraines and nosebleeds. While the movie wasn’t received well, the film attempted to visualize how migraines can affect people.
King doesn’t talk much about his migraines. But while he stays relatively private about his condition, it’s clear that he lets the migraines guide his writing and plotlines. This is especially considering, outside of Firestarter, most of his characters have psychic abilities.
