Bibliotherapy

[WICKES]

Some psychotherapists encourage deeply depressed patients to read poetry aloud at support sessions, others even use long passages from novels etc (read out loud). I'm a firm believer in the power of literature to soothe, comfort and heal. Which poems, novels or even specific lines of poetry and prose do you find therapeutic? Do you ever read aloud from favourite pieces of literature when you feel low?

There is something about the interior monologue of Leopold Bloom that I like: I mean his cheerful, practical, rooted common sense (and courage). P G Wodehouse is extraordinarily comforting as well. I also find Blake a wonderful antidote to the oppressive power of materialist science. Dickens, Wordsworth and of course Shakespeare are also great.

[krishna_lit]

Some psychotherapists encourage deeply depressed patients to read poetry aloud at support sessions, others even use long passages from novels etc (read out loud).

Well, I really didn't knew this part.. That's a great therapy and thanks for you for letting people like me know about it with this post. I'm sure that would benefit patients very much.



I'm a firm believer in the power of literature to soothe, comfort and heal. Which poems, novels or even specific lines of poetry and prose do you find therapeutic?

I too believe so much in the power of WORD. And I'm sure most of the people on this website/forum do so too. That's the only plausible explanation for the activeness of this website. And, the kind of books that would help at depressed time varies between individuals, because depression is different too for many. So, reading self-help would be good if you are finding a way to improve yourself. Reading non-fiction/biographies would be good for those who dully think other people's lives are not interesting. Reading fiction can teach about the possibilities of a situation's outcome, that will be of great use when we personally face such incidents in life. Philosophy would be good to give a understanding of humanity/mankind.


Do you ever read aloud from favourite pieces of literature when you feel low?

Oh yes I do. I do this a lot and actually this is the only thing I try to do whenever i feel low in life. In a way, books had turned my life around. When my mind isn't in a good mood of feels dull about something, i sometimes switch to poetry, which tells us the beauty of words we don't yet know.. I prefer reading Edgar Alan Poe's poetry, it has a musical rhyming (I personally love "Eldorado") which I had been looking for all my life.. (and also, there's Poe in every 'POE'TRY , Lol)

One last thing, I was surprised that nobody replied to this post. It is such an interesting question/post.

[kiki1982]

Well, that's easy therapy then, isn't it (easy for the therapist then anyway)...

I do read aloud, mainly things which are expressive with a lot of voices, intonation etc. Not so much descriptive stuff, that's not nice to read aloud. But I don't do it when I'm low though (which rarely happens anyway).

I also have a commons book that contains my absolute favourite parts and quotes. I read them again from time to time. But again, not necessarily when I'm low.

[Lokasenna]

Reading aloud is great fun - particularly with poetry. It takes very little to set me off spouting literature of some sort, and it is very cthartic. As part of my volunteer work at a local museum, I often give readings of poetry to supplement my more active role as a storyteller - it's tremendous fun.

I'm always very self-concious about reading my own poetry aloud, though. Somehow that feels infinitely more personal.

[Aylinn]

I don't think literature has some intrinsic healing power, but I understand how it can help someone who is depressed. It allows to stop thinking about your own problems and if you are reading a book where the main character has a similar problem, you stop feeling lonely and get a different perspective and understanding of feelings, as a talented author can skillfuly put emotions into words better than most people. When I read Hamlet for the first time, I was depressed. And reading it lifted my spirit up, because there is a lot of humour in it and since I expected something gloomier, I was positivly suprised. Well, of course, the ending is not uplifting, but I already knew that Shakespeare often killed off his characters, so I didn't mind it. And I am quite convinced that depression magnified my understanding of Hamlet and characters from other books, so at least it had some positive impact on my life :D


I too believe so much in the power of WORD. And I'm sure most of the people on this website/forum do so too. That's the only plausible explanation for the activeness of this website. And, the kind of books that would help at depressed time varies between individuals, because depression is different too for many.
Come to think of it, when I was depressed, I was reading mainly books in which the main characters are depressed and die at the end, nevertheless these books still made me feel better. But I am not sure that many people would find them uplifitng.


As for reading books, poems, etc. aloud, I rarely do it, but when I do it, it doesn't mean I feel low .

[mal4mac]

I'm also a firm believer in the power of literature to soothe, comfort and heal. I don't think it really matters what you read as long as you find it gripping, something enabling you "to go with the flow". I'm not really into reading self help books as they are (usually) rather tedious, like reading cookery books, something that you might have to read if you want to solve a particular problem, and usually in consultation with the medical profession (self help books, that is, not cookery books, although with my haphazard approach to cookery maybe I do mean both :) .) But if I'm feeling a bit sad, or bored, a novel seldom fails to provide adequate distraction and uplift. It doesn't matter to me what novels I read, as long as they are good ones. These days I tend to just pick up what I fancy from the library new shelf, and it usually works. My encounters with tragic works like Hamlet agree with those of Aylinn, I don't think they are at all depressing. Tragic or comic, if the characters & story are convincing then the work will be gripping and I think it's the "being gripped", that counts, it doesn't really matter how you are gripped. Both tragic and comic works provide pleasure and a sense of being taken out of your self. I don't read aloud, maybe I should give it a go, but I'm happy enough just reading.

[astrum]

Wow, this was a really great discussion. I especially liked the following quote by krishna lit:



So, reading self-help would be good if you are finding a way to improve yourself. Reading non-fiction/biographies would be good for those who dully think other people's lives are not interesting. Reading fiction can teach about the possibilities of a situation's outcome, that will be of great use when we personally face such incidents in life. Philosophy would be good to give a understanding of humanity/mankind.

[Lykren]

When I am depressed I read Dostoevsky, Plath, Thomas Hardy, John Berryman, Robert Lowell, Anne Sexton, and several others to cheer me up.



Just kidding. But really, mal4mac's point that the quality and not the content is what matters is a good one.