Read Stress Away: The Bibliotherapy Way

Introduction

The term Bibliotherapy generally refers to the concept of using books or stories as a form of therapy for individuals diagnosed with mental illness, emotional stress or addiction. Bibliotherapy can be applied to all age groups. It can be used in conjunction with other therapy types, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. It can be utilized for the treatment in both individualized and group therapy settings. Bibliotherapy is a systematic intervention that can help people to cope with stress and personal problems through the use of carefully selected reading materials. It is a form of clinical or self-developing therapy, often used in connection to psychotherapy; that includes reading as a part of treatment.

Therapeutic reading can act as a source of appeasement for mental health disorders – anxiety disorders, mood disorders, depressive episodes, phobias, sleep disorders. It can also assist in strengthening psychological health and well-being. It is intended to help bring about personal change through reading. It is often used as a supplementary form of treatment in various psychotherapy approaches and could involve everything from reading in private to discussions in groups. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed, alone, or lost when one is going through a big change in life or are experiencing mental health challenges.

One of the ways in which the mind acquires information is the visual form. Reading is one way to transmit information to the brain. The quality and quantity of reading can determine the state of the human mind and how it responds to fear and anxiety and the resultant stress caused. The duration between the emergence of stress and its mutation into full fledged psychological and physiological disorders is critical. In this phase people can be assisted to cope with stress and personal problems through interventions that are not based on medications. Literature - both fiction and nonfiction - might help to develop a higher level of awareness and understanding of motivations and behaviour.

Interventions to decrease stress and enhance resiliency and mindfulness are more likely to be widely implemented. Stress is a ubiquitous problem that is associated with many acute and chronic medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, impaired immune function, and peptic ulcer disease. In moderation, stress is healthily tolerated; excessive stress, however, is associated with poor medical outcomes, unhealthy coping mechanisms and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Stressors are difficult to remove. However, one can enhance one’s ability to handle stress, an attribute often called resiliency.

“A word after a word after a word is power,” the Margaret Atwood’s phrase; aptly connotes the power of how words play a significant role. Many therapists believe in this power so strongly that they use books to aid in patient improvement. The practice called Bibliotherapy is based on the idea that stories can heal, showing how “a word after a word” is truly powerful. It could help learn the “why” behind what one is experiencing through science-based reading. At the same time, it can act a guide with exercises and coping recommendations on hand for easy reference. Through fiction, one could view the scenario through the eyes of a character. In many cases, one might reach an emotional release through that fictional journey before one reaches it in personally. This emotional experience in fiction is what Aristotle referred to as “catharsis” during his own observations on the impact of stories on human emotions.

The power of words on emotions can be immense. Reading the right words can bring tears, laughter, and anger. It can stimulate a drive for self-change. Words can educate and provide insight. At times, words can be a valuable source of comfort. For people navigating through mental well-being challenges, the power of words could be used as a form of treatment called bibliotherapy. Storytelling, creative writing, and reading have long been recognized for their therapeutic potential. The use of literature as a healing method dates to ancient Greece, when Grecian libraries were seen as sacred places with curative powers. In the early nineteenth century, physicians like Benjamin Rush and Minson Galt II began to use bibliotherapy as an intervention technique in rehabilitation and the treatment of mental health issues. During World Wars I and II, bibliotherapy was used to help returning soldiers deal with both physical and emotional concerns.