Disclaimer: Reading books cannot replace any form of medical treatment for any mental illness. They can act as an empowerment and motivation in between therapy. They give that much-needed push during the tough times and keep you sailing smoothly through the rough patch you are going through while you are mentally unwell.

           Have you ever felt this ?, When you were deeply yearning for some existential questions and the universe sends you help in the form of people or some signs or some book at the right time? Reading books have massively helped my mental health during the turbulent times.

          Book reading was introduced to me through a close friend who was more into fiction books. I tried a couple of them but unknowingly  I was always drawn toward real-life stories. Maybe I was looking for some form of inspiration to empower myself or to improve my reading and communication skills

          In today’s Blog, I am going talk about how Reading books has played a huge role in elevating my Depression when I had no one to look for back then.

 

         How reading books helped me with my Depression?

               I never took books that seriously. Until one day I hit the rock bottom of my life when I was going through Depression. This was a time I was alone, I  needed an answer for all that was happening to me, and why me?

             It was a phase where I neither wished nor was ready to take help from someone and I also wanted to come out of it badly.

              It was the right time to begin to read books as I had left my job too after marriage. They became my elevating friends when I had no one to motivate me.

         I am not saying they are the alternative treatment for such cases But they can empower and motivate you to fight your depression and come out stronger.

        5 reasons why reading  Self-help books can help with  your Mental health 

        Before we start with why let’s understand, 

       What kind of books help with Mental Health?

          By Self-help books, I mean the books that motivate you, help you nurture your mind, or answer all the questions you are looking for.

          I found solace in Personal Growth and Spiritual books, some might find solace in reading poetry or even interesting novels or Fiction books as they provide a form of escapism.

          The idea is to read those books that match your wavelength and the ones that will inspire and lift your spirit high. The right books will help you build awareness of your emotions as well of others, understand yourself more, and guide you with techniques to regulate your emotions 

      Choosing the right kind of book will enhance your daily experience.

        By this, I mean the inspirational stories, and Spiritual books that help us rebuild faith and resilience. Fun novels that can make you laugh or maintain your mood levels. Or Self-help books that provide you with some techniques that help you deal with problems in any particular area of life. For me, inspirational books or real-life stories, spiritual books, and Robin Sharma books helped a lot at that time.

 1. They keep you Productively busy

By that I mean when you are reading you are not just grasping new knowledge but it is also improving your language skills and writing skills which are extremely essential soft skills in any profession or personal life.

They keep you busy when you feel lonely and bored 

While you are in Depression you also don’t feel like talking to anyone. The book can be your best companion then. It helps alleviate depression symptoms. I can’t emphasize enough how beneficial it is to keep yourself busy when coping with Depression. It’s like a deep rabbit hole of hopelessness and needs continued efforts from us or our environment to keep ourselves busy and not emotionally empty. 

Keeping busy helps you come out of this hole gradually and slowly. 

  2. Reading rebuilds Motivation, Resilience, Hope, and Faith

       The best thing that Self-help books and Spiritual books hold is their power to make you unstoppable no matter what kind of terrible experience you are going through. They remind you of the inner strength that each human on this planet possesses.

      Self-help books can answer a lot of existential-burning questions that a lot of us have at some point in time when we go through a low phase. This experience I had while reading some Spiritual Books which built my awareness about everything which I never gave importance to.

  I started learning the connection between mind and body. I started understanding spirituality from a different perspective. Self-help books for me are like the tip of the iceberg and the deeper knowledge lies in Spiritual books or memoirs of any Spiritual master. The uneasiness of my deeper burning questions was quenched by Spiritual books. 

They finally helped me Accept my reality.

 3. Reading Books Reduces stress levels

About research and slow life.

 A Study done in 2009 by the University of  Sussex, found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. This is an interesting fact  I discovered during my research—no wonder they have immense benefits. Reading relaxes your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles.

The reason is that the minute you step into a new reality of the book you forget your daily stressors and mundane issues. From my experience what I have realized is we humans are naturally meant to live a slow-paced life, but advancement in technology has deprived us of this true nature.

Books and Creativity are one of those tools to bridge that connection. So next time if you are looking for a solution for your restlessness due to fast life try reading a book you can bear and it will balance it off for you.

 4. Reading Builds awareness of your own emotions 

Reading personal growth books makes us aware of our own emotions, incidents that trigger certain emotions. They help us label those emotions. You start understanding the real why behind your mixed feelings.

When the real-life incidents of the author or any other stories in the book recall the events relatable in your life and gives you a deep understanding of your emotions and how they operate through everyone and helps us find the right solutions to regulate next time. It also builds empathy for others. When you build awareness of your emotions, and your common patterns, you start building your emotional intelligence.

Learning to manage our own emotions at the right time can save us from contracting mental disorders or illnesses in the future. They act as a self-reflective journal mirror that brings that unconscious reality that you were living with. 

  They give you a reason to question yourself to find the answers you are looking for.

5. Builds your self-esteem

When you are going through a low emotional phase your Self-esteem also goes for a toss. Reading books gives a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment when you learn or understand a new concept.

One of the factors we measure the self-esteem of everyone is based on the external knowledge a person has. When you feel equipped with the right knowledge you feel confident we feel self-worthy whether you have yet implemented that knowledge or not 

When your self-esteem is rebuilt it’s easier to get out of any emotional mess. They broaden your horizons and help you think out of the box solutions They bring you out of your comfort zone and inspire you to take action.

When you are in a state of motivation it inspires you to take action and when you take action the tasks you kept pending for days due to procrastination will make you feel more content and fulfilled.

Our mindset starts focusing on cribbing to find solutions to the problem. When you start working on the problems it takes care of your Mental Health 

 

       Well we all are unique human beings and might resonate with books on different levels but a few benefits of reading books will be common among many of us because of the immense benefits they offer us for our Mental Health  

       Let me know which points you could resonate with your reading journey. Would also love to know your reasons for how books played a huge role in your overall well-being.

       Books are like those magnets that can sync you back to true human nature of living a mindful and slow life, within this fast-paced world where we all are struggling with side effects of technological advancement of low attention span, high stimulation, boredom, etc.

     Are you ready to make them your companions to balance your Mental Health in this unpredictable digital world?