Have You Ever Tried Bibliotherapy?

When life gives you lemons, make a lemonade. Or, if you don’t know how to make it, just sell the lemons, plant the tree, or try to juggle. Whatever it is, you have to enjoy the problem you face. I’ve asked some friends about how to cope with feelings and emotions when things go wrong. Each of them give the different ways to soothe the pain. Here are some of their answers:

“My cat is the ultimate stress reliever. Spending time with my cat, cuddling her, and having fun with her.  It’s something magical.”
–Samantha

“Sleeping and eating comfort food are the best choice to forget the sadness for a while. If I can’t forget it, I go out and talk to friends.”
–Riri

“I like photography and art. So, if I’m sad because things go wrong, I’ll listen to music to light up my mood. Then, I’ll paint my feelings on a canvas. Moreover, the presence of close friends and family really help me.”
–Bilhaqy

“I keep my life busy. I won’t let my problem or sadness conquer my thoughts.”
–Anto

“Playing games. Getting a lot of money. And praying.”
–Fadia

For them, it works whatever the method is. Those are not the only things that makes a huge differences, but all these things can change my emotional state. For me, I like art. I’ll do something creative to express myself, like listen to music, drawing, and writing. I’ll listen to a song that will make me cry to let it all out, then something happy to lift me out of that mood. I also draw something on my sketch book to express my feelings. And, I  write a story related to the feelings that I have at that time, because when things go wrong, a burst of creativity is often born. It’s when art help me forget about the pain.
I remember what one of my favorite author, Neil Gaiman, said for the commencement speech at The University of Arts.

“Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all the other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do:
Make good art.”

True! His words inspires me so much. When I’m down and weary, I will remember his words and his voice which sounds like my love’s, Benedict Cumberbach, in Sherlock TV Series! And suddenly, I’m light up like the fireworks on the 4th of July. Just like what he said, leg crushed and then eaten by mutated boa constrictor? Make good art. Cat exploded? Make good art. Somebody on the Internet thinks what you do is stupid or evil or it’s all been done before? Make good art.
But, what if all of those things don’t work? What if you feel bored to do the things you used to do?
Try Bibliotheraphy!

Bibliotherapy is a therapy that uses an individual’s relationship to the content of books and poetry and other written words as therapy. It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression. Actually, the method of bibliotherapy was found all the way back to the Ancient Greeks. They inscribed above the entrance to a library in Thebes that this was a ‘healing place for the soul’. The practice came at the end of the nineteenth century, when Sigmund Freud began using literature during psychoanalysis sessions. After the First World War, traumatized soldiers returning home from the front were often prescribed a course of reading.

Why books can be a therapeutic ‘medicine’? The reason is that whatever we’re going through, someone in the pages of a novel has been there, too. So we can relate to them and think that we are not the only one who face the problems. Or, in other words, the characters can be our chatarsis. A 2011 study published in the Annual Review of Psychology, based on analysis of MRI brain scans of volunteers, showed that people read about an experience. They display stimulation within the same neurological regions as when they go through that experience themselves. We draw on the same brain networks when we’re reading stories and when we’re trying to guess another person’s feelings.
Because of Bibliotheraphy, I want to prescribe reading list to all of you, my wonderful readers. Well, honestly, I want to try being a bibliotherapist. Haha! Starting from my friends. Now, I want to share it with you. Here are some books that will soothe the pain based on what you’re going through.

If you miss the deceased loved ones, read:

If you want to end your life, please please please don’t do that. Read this book instead:

If you feel that you want to turn back the time because you regret something in the past or you want to see your future, read:

If you want to beat your cellphone addiction, read:

If you are confused about ‘the road’ you should take, read:

If you are a teacher and need to train your patience, read:

If you are parents and want to do everything for your daughters/sons, read this:

If you don’t like your job OR you’re still unemployed and because of that you feel worry about your future, read:

Those are only several recommendation from me. There are a lottttt of books that I want to share here. But, the space is not enough. If you want to consult or need book recommendation, you can shoot me an email or DM. I’d be happy to share.
What books make you happy? Is there a book or an author you go to for cheering up?