Gradually I have started to like reading books. In general I have enjoyed reading books since my childhood but no where close to a voracious reader or someone who just genuinely loves reading book and tries to find time to read everyday even when they are busy.
Anyway usually when I have some sort of anxiety, annoyance about something or even mild physical pain I watch movies/tv shows and they work as a good distraction for me.
Recently there was an instance where I had a bit of anxiety about something and then this other instance where I had a mild headache and both the times instead of watching something I decided to pick a nice book that I have been reading and enjoying for the past few days ufortunately they were not able to distract me.
I realised that in times of stress and anxiety watching something definitely helps me to distract myself but choosing a book to read, even the ones that I’m enjoying, doesn’t really work that well. It’s like even the book that I’m enjoying I can only enjoy when I’m in a very relaxed mood.
This makes me wonder what about those avid book readers. Would they be able distract themselves reading a book when they are going through a stressful time(mild headache or anxiety) and if so, is it something that I can develop as well as I build the habit of reading more and more?
Audiobooks are better for headaches because staring at screens or print can lead to eyestrain. But for anxiety, nothing beats a book for me. I can just get immersed in someone else’s world and forget my problems for a while. I feel really fortunate to have this coping strategy.