How Reading Can Curtail Anxiety From:
Tracy Shawn
Reading, can indeed, reduce anxiety. But why? Stories provide an escape from our personal stressors and worries as well as a much-needed respite from world and local news. And reading not only offers an affordable and assessable break (itâs also a lot healthier than stress eating and binge drinking), it can also increase compassion.
On a deeper level, too, reading a novel can provide a psychological shot of courage. Renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell explains that when readers follow the journey of a main character, theyâre able to empathize with the protagonistsâ struggles and rejoice in their triumphs. Journalist Bill Moyers also points out that everyday people (âwho may not be heroes in the grand sense of redeeming societyâ) still relate to a