Reading as my escape.: When I was... - Anxiety and Depre...

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Reading as my escape.

Dreamer27 profile image
7 Replies

When I was younger, I hated to read. The act of sitting and reading seemed unproductive. But an accident happened and left me in the hospital for a couple of months. Tired of watchin TV, I turned to books. My teacher always brought me books to read for school and eventually I started read and was later captured.

Then books became my everything. They were my friends, my security, my therapy, my escape from reality. More recently, I'm starting to rely on them because real life is depressing and I need the assurance that good things do happen. I need moments where I can escape from the stress of school, job searching, and thinking about the unstable future.

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Dreamer27 profile image
Dreamer27
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7 Replies
Sunnidayz1 profile image
Sunnidayz1

I think this is great! I want to get into reading books again. Maybe I should join a book club.

Sometimes if we use something as a way to escape it can become an addiction. People can be addicted to anything. Im just putting it out there. I say this out of experience. I was once addicted to tarot cards and it ruined my life.

Please do not use books as a form of escape use it as a form of entertainment; there's a difference. This is true.

Sunni❤

Dreamer27 profile image
Dreamer27 in reply toSunnidayz1

You're right about difference. I love my books for sure but I wouldn't say I'm addicted either. Can't really afford to unless I want my grades to suffer as a result. But I will say that this is my coping mechanism during the covid times which also probably isn't the greatest. Book clubs are a great idea! Facebook groups have them and also Amazon is developing one too.

Sunnidayz1 profile image
Sunnidayz1 in reply toDreamer27

Good work being aware👍I will find a club! thank u!

How are you?

That sure does seem like a good way of escape. I used to be a bookworm myself. It has the power to take you to that place. It helps escape reality because reality sucks. I love your escape. Am I alowed to say being hospitalized helped you without offending you? Seems it did because you found a good escape. Sometimes painful moments takes us to better places and now you are in that better space. Good for you. Care to share what the book is about?

Dreamer27 profile image
Dreamer27 in reply to

Being stuck in a hospital did help me in the end but I would also say that it was because of my fourth grade teacher, who kept bringing me books when I was there. He would sit there and read to me sometimes if I was lonely so I would say most of my thanks goes to him. And I think out of the all the things I could've picked up to help me cope, reading is one of the better habits to have developed. I just need to be careful about the things I read, how often, and why because it can be dangerous if I use it to avoid reality too much. My current reading is an old favorite of mine. The Indian Fan by Victoria Holt :) It's about this young girl who lives next to a wealthy family. She becomes fascinated with them and this peacock feather fan that is in their house. But the fan is cursed so when she gets ownership of it, her life becomes whirlwind of sadness but also adventure. Kind of a long book but always had an appreciation for the book and author.

in reply toDreamer27

Sounds nice anyway. At least you have a healthy habit, I admire that because some use things like drugs and alcohol which ain't good. I'm glad

Pat9 profile image
Pat9

spot on I am an avid reader, usually books based in the war years but gentler times and ones I can lose myself in, I love them .. brilliant way to escape the now xx

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