When Books Can Truly Heal

The simple joy of flipping through the pages of your favorite book, the smell of the pages filling your being, makes reading an indulgence that people cannot resist. Even with the rise of technology offering gadgets that can carry hundreds of your favorite titles in a tiny, compact hand-held that fits in your palm, the intimate experience with a book is still something that many finds pleasurable. The feel of the pages, the aroma of it, makes people keep on reading for more.

When a person is reading a book, he or she is at her own solitary time, in a space created inside her mind. The possibilities are limitless, conquering places where the physical body cannot journey to. For this reason, books have been used as part of the healing process through Bibliotherapy.

Bibliotherapy closes the gap between a patient suffering emotional distress and their health care practitioner. Since those in psychotherapy don’t open up their emotions that quickly, or trust easily, it is here where books can help. Many success stories were reported for people who had been suffering stress, phobia, eating disorders, body image problems, anxiety, and mood disorders. Books can help these sufferers relax and feel good about themselves and life in general.

When a person suffering from anxiety gets inspiration from a self-help book, that person is taking responsibility over his/her worries, making self-treatment possible, without an over-dependence in prescription medications. Reading a book to heal can also create a better bonding with the patient and the therapist through reading activities, home works, and interaction. Other than feeling good with the help of a book, the habit of reading is also given an emphasis. This is great specially for children who finds reading a boring thing to do.

Although reading is not for everyone, like those who suffer psychosis, dyslexia, and limited mental abilities, in general, reading can simply be fun. When one reads, a new world of reality emerges, making one feel free to explore the facets of the unknown.. without fear. For this reason, bibliotherapy brings out those negative thoughts and feelings deeply buried in a person’s psyche and make him or her face these fears in the open. Books also give a sense of privacy, unlike talking to a person about your ordeal. There are books that make you laugh, cry, or shudder. Truly, books can move us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Bibliotherapy provides insight and realistic solutions to life’s many problems. However, one may run the risk of misapplying what was read. In the long run, books help you become self-reliant on living your life on the bright side, without falling back to your old self. When you do, you can always pick up that book and find your comfort. Remember that when the mind is at ease, the body will also feel at ease. Books are not only your natural means of healing, but it is also a source of something priceless: Wisdom. Read Well & Feel Better!

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