Safety

[Babe*With*Brains]

Am I the only one who finds a certain 'safety' in literature? I mean, when i'm facing an uncomfortable situation I find that all I want to do is 'switch off' from the world and bury myself in reading or writing. I just feel that i'm happiest when i'm immersed in some 'alternate world'. does anyone else find themselves turning to literature for comfort?

[Kate]

Yeah I do that. Because I suffer from Anxiety Disorder I find it great escapism. And I'm not afraid to put down a book that isn't helping me hide in literature

[~Andrea~]

Oh absolutely. Sometimes there is a huge comfort factor in books. I will often read something with the specific aim of de-stressing myself or cheering myself up.

[BookJumper]

I envy you guys. Whenever I'm stressed or unhappy (which happens fairly often) I find that my already abysmal capacity for concentration gets even worse, so I find myself reading the same page over and over without taking anything in.

[amethyst]

I think this is why I started reading in the first place, to escape from the world around me. The world inside a book is a much more pleasant one

[Nollaig]

I'm the same as BookJumper - occasionally it works but it worked better when stress was made up of homework and boys at school. Books just don't cut it over finances and employment. Still, when I do manage to switch off and disappear into a book, it's pretty cool.

 

I do find a certain safety in books where their situation is far far worse than my own, like waking up from a nightmare and realising things really aren't THAT bad

[honestfi]

I envy you guys. Whenever I'm stressed or unhappy (which happens fairly often) I find that my already abysmal capacity for concentration gets even worse, so I find myself reading the same page over and over without taking anything in.

 

I have to be very relaxed to read, I tend to read in bed anyway and don't get very far with it, say, if in a doctor's or dentist's waiting room, or if I'm worried about something.

[Stephanie2008]

I have to be relaxed too. If I'm slightly worried or stressed I find it hard to read, which is why I was never good at revision or exams. I do find that a good book does help me relax more

[Mac]

I find that reading is the one thing that truly relaxes me - switching off the real world, locking the doors, unplugging the phones and immersing myself entirely into someone else's imagination. That, in itself, becomes a reality for me, while I'm there.

 

As Giulia and Roxi mentioned, sometimes during periods of great stress, I too have lost the ability to concentrate and have been unable to focus enough to read, but after a period of healing, I found myself plunging into my TBR mountain with relish.

 

I love reading. I guess we all do here!

[Babe*With*Brains]

Yeah I do that. Because I suffer from Anxiety Disorder I find it great escapism. And I'm not afraid to put down a book that isn't helping me hide in literature

 

same here! I actually posted this thread this morning because my social anxiety was playing up! I was supposed to be meeting with someone i knew, but the thought was filling me with dread and i found that all i wanted to do at that moment was snuggle up on my own and lose myself in a book.

I suppose it's a form of escapism...it's like looking into someone elses life other than your own.

[NovaLee]

For me it really depends on the type of stress or situation I'm experiencing. If I'm just escaping a frustrating day or haven't yet come to a conclussion or made a decission on something I need to,.. then escaping to another world for awhile really helps me to de-stress and untangle the confusion of thoughts rattling about upstairs.

 

If the situation is more dire ....I'm unable to concentrate and stay focused.

[Adam]

I have to be relaxed too. If I'm slightly worried or stressed I find it hard to read, which is why I was never good at revision or exams. I do find that a good book does help me relax more

 

I am the exact same way. I find that as my life gets busy or more stressful, I read less. However, if I can squeeze in the time, a book helps me to re-focus.

[Talisman]

Certain books - mainly the spiritual ones, can help me re-focus, but a long walk normally does the trick for me - there is nothing like fresh air for clearing the head.

[funrun]

I will read to escape life when there are hard decisions tomake and life gets very hard

[BookBee8]

Recently I've been having a tough time (nothing major but it's important to me) and I've found myself reading a lot more. The escapism is fantastic. Even with a lot on my mind, I can lose myself in a book. It's made me love my most recent reads more, the fact they've been a 'support' when I've needed them.

[Kylie]

If I'm having trouble sleeping because of a stressful situation, I find that reading helps (or at least, it's better than laying awake in bed). At other times though, I just can't concentrate.

[Anika]

Yes,escapism! That's exactly it. I don't have any problem concentrating on a book if I'm stressed or upset. If I wasn't reading I'd only be ruminating over a situation that's bothering me, so I'm all for any pleasant distraction I can get.

[libri vermis]

I actually can't concentrate on a book when I am under stress.

[Echo]

Me, either. When I'm stressed or my depression is particularly bad, I can't concentrate on a book at all. If I really try, I can maybe get some reading done, but I'm mostly only capable of zoning out in front of the TV or something.

[libri vermis]

I should clarify what I said. I can read when under stress, but I would get through about 50 pages and not remember one word.

 

I also tend to veg in front of the telly when stressed.