Reading and Depression! Do you find reading to be an efficient way to cope with depression?
Reading and Depression!
Do you find reading to be an efficient way to cope with depression?
114 Answers
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Yes. Definitely.
Yes. Making time to read definitely helps me with my anxiety and depression symptoms.
Yes trully
It’s the only way I know of to cope with depression. When I start reading more than the normal, I realize, maybe there’s something going on with me. It’s a beautiful escape from reality and it does more good than harm ❤️
Yes I do.
On occasions
If its really bad, I can’t make myself do anything
definitely ☺
Yes
Yes. It takes me out of my mind and problems for awhile.
Sometimes it is a real help, but in very deep depression you don’t want to do anything.
Occasionally but sometimes nothing helps.
Absolutely
Just disappear into the story.
Yes. But depends on the type of book too.
Yes! I don’t think nonfiction helps with depression. But, fiction does shift my mood to a higher, happier level.
No,
Yes. In fact, whenever I can’t shake depression I have a book I’ve read over 20 times. Snaps me out if it.
@Stacy What book?
@Crystal. Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins – but Robbins isn’t for everyone.
No. I had a depression and I couldn’t read
nope, nothing is truly helpful unless its medicine
When I’m not to deep in my depression I love to escape to another world and live there for the time being. But when I’m deep I find it hard to get up, eat and do a little self care. So reading is not a possibility then.
In the last 2 years I’ve read 223 books.
Good job!
Yes. I read everynight. It’s my passion and clears my head.
Actually, reading exacerbates depression for me. (Except for scripture) A good read distracts me temporarily, but then I come back to same issues.
When I feel depression looming, the best remedy is exercise! That combined with sunshine/fresh air. Also doing something for someone else helps. An Ideal would be yard work for someone elderly.
HUGE depressive episode as a teen which was only broken when we moved. It wasn’t the move itself; rather the mile walk to and from school, plus the requirement to learn new surroundings.
Depression in my experience is a narrowing of view; an inward focus. Getting outdoors, exercising, and doing for others all shift that focus outward.
But depression definitely needs outside help!
Sometimes,I personally feel that, we cant pay much attention to reading when we are depressed.I started reading after overcoming my depression.Workout maybe the best way to overcome depression.
As far as I am concerned,, yes it does! To me atleast.
I feel keeping yourself busy or reading can bandaid the depression for a little while. It all depends on what you are battling.
Yes. Reading offers a means of escape.
Some spend their time on phone, some read books but all these are escapes.Sometime we have to embrace things that causes us depression.I feel some self-help books can help.As i said earlier it was very hard for me to read at that point of time, but if you have the right book,it can help you a lot.
Reduces anxiety, clears my head and lift my mood as well. It actually helps a lot when everything is too much for me…
Yes, it does reduce anxiety.
Been in hospital for a month. Reading helps with everything!
Sadly, depression makes me less able to read. It’s one of the hardest things about it.
I don,t know how to express myself…most of the time when I am reading regularly I don,t get depressed but when I am depressed due to any reason I can,t read ……I don,t know
Yes.
for me is like that, helps me to concentrate my mind in the book rather than the causes ofertas the depression
Yes! ?
? It helps me.
Yes. It help a great deal!
Some Plays depress me such as
Come Back.Little Sheba
Some other plays really grab at your heart and never let go!
When Death of a Salesmsn has appeared on Broadway , grown middle class men have openly shed tears of sorrow over the tragedy and suicide of Willy Loman.
No.
It is a good way to return to life after depression.
Depression was considering whether I could get up from the bed or just soil myself because I did not have the strenght. I did. Get up that is. But depression was not ending my life because I was too tired to do much before the meds finally kicked in. It was not having to choose what to read next.
But books did save me from despair while growing up.
Depression however is a wholly different beast.
Yes. It’s also a measure. When really depressed I can’t focus and can’t read. I know its really bad then
I can’t read when I’m depressed. Had postpartum after having my daughter and tried to read the same book 3 times and couldn’t. After 2 months I was back in my groove. Then last year I lost my cousin to stomach cancer and it left me in depression. It took me all summer to pull out of my depression before I could get back into reading
Yes
Great, sometimes only, way to get out of self
IT HELPS WITH STRESS AND STRESS CAN LEAD TO DEPRESSION.
If I’m depressed, there is no way to comprehend/focus on what I’m reading. It does help escape from stress.
It helps distract me from rumination when I can concentrate enough to do it..
No because I cant concentrate.
Oh, I do…I absolutely leave my body and don’t even know I have it when I am reading!
I’ve always thought of reading as a escape, reading helped me get threw painful times in my childhood for sure!!
I can’t even focus on one word when I had the depression
It’s my escape from everything and everyone
For sure I do !!!! ?
Yes almost finished the Alice network relaxed me
Of course
If I feel like I’m sliding, taking a few days off to lose myself in books helps. If I’m too low I can’t concentrate.
Oh yes really helps me
Absolutely. When I feel my self slipping or about to have an anxiety attack I get lost between the pages of my book. I cant tell you how much reading has helped me
Yes
100%
Reading helps but ultimately only for a time.
Absolutely
When I feel like I’m in a social rut reading helps me to reconnect and keeps me from getting stale.
Yes I can runaway from the real world for awhile
Definitely!
Not really you can immerse yourself in reading but you have to come out of it and it can only delay reality or become yet another obsession to deal with.
Sometimes but I also find I can’t concentrate either on anything. I do love to read and try to everyday.
Yes. To escape
Yes. It helps turn off the negative cycle and allows focus.
Yes… People use drugs and alcohol as a way of escaping… Reading is much safer and still a great escape
Yes it is! I even flat out told my mom once after she “complained” about how I needed to stop buying books that she should be happy that at least it’s not drugs ?♀️? then my little brother who was there proceeded to say I wouldn’t have anyone to do them with and that I would need a buddy to do drugs with ?♀️??
Yes
Sometimes
Depressed minds will not read. Readers raise up to the situation all times
sometimes
Why wouldn’t it is great to read.
Yes.
Yup
Definitely yes. Reading is the best best activity which diverts the mind to gain positivity as the journey forges ahead.
Agree!
Writing is also extremely therapeutic.
I agree!
Yes its change my whole life and help get through it as suvavore
No. I usually am unable to concentrate well on what I’m reading.
exactly most especially non fiction for personal development
Yes it does.
I have anxiety and stress based depression.
When my mind wants to spiral into negativity or damaging memories I read.
It takes me on a journey, I can know new people without fear. Be drawn into feeling strong emotion and dream of having the relationships I read about. Slowly reinforcing my drive to get better and keep fighting
Sometimes it’s the only way to cope with it ?
It helps with taking me out of my head for a while ?
“Efficient.” No, but it’s worth the work. I never thought of reading as a two- handed activity, but now tgat I’ve only got one good hand, I’m finding reading to be frustratingly difficult. I was an English Major all through college and an ?English prof for 30+ years thereafter, so I need to learn new methods and new processes. Thank ?Goodness for Audible!
Yes, audible is a blessing.
These smart phones are also very handy.
Yes!
Yes
No. For me, music is the most helpful, i.e., the gentle swing of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall, or small group Count Basie. No Mahler, more Modern Jazz Quartet.
How about
Classical music?
Yes
Reading and Writing ?
Definitely
Yes, most of the time. Sometimes though mine gets so bad I lose interest in everything
Yes it helps me to get through it. It takes me to different places, stops my anxiety. Plus helps me keep my mind off all the pain I am in.
I find reading is the answer to everything!
Nope. A good cry helps now and then!
I agree! If I cry, my.Poodle barks at me!
Yep. Especially being a sexual abuse victim and survivor for almost 8 years (I just turned 28 yesterday). Looking back on when I fkrd my love of reading back in my Sophomore year of high school (long story of how that happened), little did I know that besides my religion, books and reading would also literally save me. I may read slow at times but just having the comfort of a book with me even if I don’t end up reading it helps me cope. So I truly think reading something that YOU LIKE can help depression, anxiety, PTSD of some things etc can definitely help anyone cope. ?♀️
I think it is a great way to put your mind away from other things that could be troubling you. A good book can put you in a different world.
The reading brain can be in a different compartment from the emotional/ depressed brain.
Long walks and reading helps me ?
well… you can’t wish for serotonin… even with a good book. What you get from that book, while helpful, is just a few drops in the bucket.
Probably. It gets me into another world.
Reading presents as a distraction from reality and may help one to ignore ( for a while)their depression.
Yes ?
No, I can’t read when my depression gets bad. Same goes with my writing.