Background
During her decade working in public libraries in central Victoria, our founder, Elizabeth, noticed a pattern among her regular library visitors, of undergoing cancer treatment and losing the focus necessary to read for pleasure, right at a time when the comfort of reading could have helped! Wanting to explore this further and try to find a solution, she researched this as a PhD project with the University of South Australia. She is so pleased to have found the potential reasons for this pattern, and was then able to develop a way to possibly circumvent the all-pervasive ‘cancer fog’ that afflicts so many people undergoing cancer treatment (and sometimes for years after treatment) in order to reinstate or introduce reading and all its benefits.
Why reading?
There are so many benefits of reading, for instance ½ hour reading = ½ yoga[1] and 6min reading = 67% stress reduction (reduced heart rate & blood pressure), which is a bigger effect than having a cuppa or going for a walk[2]. Reading increases brain connectivity: 17 areas of the brain are exercised![3] Of course, there are lots of other benefits of reading, including reduced loneliness, increased empathy, and living longer![4-6]
What is bibliotherapy?
Bibliotherapy comes from the Greek words ‘biblion’ (book) and ‘therapeia’ (healing), and the idea has been around since ancient times. We know this because ancient Greek and Egyptian libraries had inscriptions carved above their entrances that translate to ‘healing for the soul’. Bibliotherapy comes in many different forms, and studies show its usefulness for a range of mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety and depression[7-9], as well as chronic pain[10] but if you have difficulties reading due to cancer fog, how can you get these benefits? … Keep reading to find out why reading aloud?
But reading isn’t really ‘my thing’ … or reading is difficult for me
Hopefully, you can remember a time when you liked to read, even if that was when you were small; or maybe you struggle to read?
Stories can transport you in a way that nothing else can. Stories can take you away from your cares and carry you to a time or place that you might not otherwise ever get to experience. It’s true that less people are reading now, but that doesn’t mean that the benefits of reading to both mental and physical health are any less powerful. Let us help you recapture or discover the joy of stories.
Want to know more? 🙂 Contact me to arrange a chat.
References
[1] Rizzolo, D., Zipp, G. P., Stiskal, D., & Simpkins, S. (2009). Stress management strategies for students: The immediate effects of yoga, humor, and reading on stress. Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), 6(8). https://doi.org/10.19030/tlc.v6i8.1117
[2] Galaxy. (2009). Forget music, walking and the British cuppa; losing yourself in a book is the best stress-buster [Press release]. Galaxy Stress Research, Mindlab International & Sussex University.
[3] Shaywitz, S. E., Shaywitz, B. A., Pugh, K. R., Fulbright, R. K., Constable, R. T., Mencl, W. E., Shankweiler, D. P., Liberman, A. M., Skudlarski, P., Fletcher, J. M., Katz, L., Marchione, K. E., Lacadie, C., Gatenby, C., & Gore, J. C. (1998). Functional disruption in the organization of the brain for reading in dyslexia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences – PNAS, 95(5), 2636-2641. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.5.2636
[4] Bavishi, A., Slade, M. D., & Levy, B. R. (2016). A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity. Social Science & Medicine, 164, 44-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.07.014
[5] Hilhorst, S., Lockey, A., & Speight, T. (2018). A society of readers. Demos. https://readingagency.org.uk/resources/3132/
[6] Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Science, 342(6156), 377-380. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1239918
[7] Gualano, M. R., Bert, F., Martorana, M., Voglino, G., Andriolo, V., Thomas, R., Gramaglia, C., Zeppegno, P., & Siliquini, R. (2017). The long-term effects of bibliotherapy in depression treatment: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Clinical Psychology Review, 58, 49-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.09.006
[8] Gusmao, A. O. d. M., & de Souza, E. G. J. (2020). Bibliotherapy as an emotional recovery tool. Investigación Bibliotecológica, 34(85), 33-59. https://doi.org/10.22201/iibi.24488321xe.2020.85.58166
[9] Pettersson, C. (2018). Psychological well-being, improved self-confidence, and social capacity: Bibliotherapy from a user perspective. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 31(2), 124-134. https://doi.org/10.1080/08893675.2018.1448955
[10] Billington, J., Humphreys, A. L., Jones, A., & McDonnell, K. (2016). A literature-based intervention for people with chronic pain. Arts & Health, 8(1), 13-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2014.957330