Books. Sometimes you see that one person in class lost in their own world, putting themselves in the false reality that the book has given them; however, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to books and why people read them.

Mental Health:

In the past few years, according to Mental Health America, almost 20 percent of kids ages 3-17 have struggled with mental illnesses. Adding on, access to therapy and the help they need isn’t as accessible to those whether it deals with the financial aspect, parents, or a center not being close to them. Within the Mental Health Americas website, they provide a state chart of the mental health rankings and statistics within the United States. If the state is ranked a lower number, mental health care is easily accessible for those residing there, but if the state is ranked a higher number, people don’t have much access to getting the treatment and help they need. Now, taking a look at Tennessee’s ranking, it’s placed at number 40 meaning mental health treatment isn’t as accessible as it would be in Maine or even Georgia.

Generally, people wouldn’t associate books with the topic of mental health and illnesses in the same way they would with therapy. So, how do books serve as an outlet for those out there? Well, it’s not that books are on the same level as therapy would be, but more of a simple way to start helping the person struggling. These books bring you into worlds that you couldn’t ever imagine on a normal day, and they’re like a movie playing in your head. With this in mind, these books serve as an outlet for those struggling in more ways than one. Books can be such a healthy coping mechanism for those out there. Sometimes the thoughts in your head get too overwhelming, something is going on at home, or simply you just need a break from everything going on, whether that’s internal or external. If a situation gets too stressful or let’s say you’re done with an important exam, then you have something to help you relax instead of sitting there in silence and overthinking. People normally struggling with mental illnesses, such as anxiety may tend to overthink the exam they just took. Coming from a personal perspective, that has happened in the past and a simple Rom-Com or even a Mystery always seems to provide a sense of ease. Though it’s not serving as a way to express underlying issues, it’s providing a distraction for that person. Plus, sometimes you find THAT book. The one that can help you during all-time lows, has an inspirational quote, or even just a character you relate to. Having something as small as a relatable character can always emphasize the fact that you’re not alone.

Accessibility:

Another positive that books have within our generation is the formatting and accessibility they have. The variety of books within the market has grown and evolved now consisting of Graphic novels, Manga, Audiobooks, Digital books, and so much more! These wide varieties of formatting for books can be so tremendously helpful for those out there.

Starting off with Manga, these books are widely known in Asian countries and could be the only book formatting some people know with how they start at the back of the book and end at the front. These books are read from right to left and are how all books in Asian countries are formatted and read. So, someone new to the United States may have a hard time reading the complete opposite way that they’ve known for their whole life. If that person is learning English and has a knack for reading, learning a new reading style on top of that could potentially cause their love for reading to falter. It’s a strange concept to be reading a completely opposite way you’ve known for your whole life and can cause frustration for that person. So, having a book that’s formatted the way you’ve known is always great to have and can help keep that spark alive.

Adding on, Graphic Novels are always a great start for those who want to get into reading. When you’re younger and constantly reading short stories in class, it’s not surprising that you would drift away from reading in your free time. Normally, you get bored with the same things, and the informational topics that your teachers assign you just aren’t interesting or appealing. Well, having a book that’s fewer words, and more pictures can always be the start of something great. Being new to reading and having all of these words on the page with no visuals can get boring. However, having the pictures give that person a visual of the story and can help that reader to become immersed into that book’s reality. And who doesn’t love being a part of a story?

Ending off with Audiobooks and Digital Books, these take the cake when talking about accessibility. Sometimes people just would rather watch a movie but that’s where these Audio Books come into play. Either you learn by voices rather than visuals or have a visual impairment; having this option out there is definitely helpful.  People out there who are blind now have an option that allows them to dive into these worlds that we all know and love. Moving on, as mentioned before with the disinterest in words and focusing on the audio aspect; these audiobooks bring life to the characters. Having a character and being able to give them a voice gives them a new perspective on books. Adding on, audiobooks aren’t the only books out there that aren’t on paper. Sometimes people either just don’t like carrying around a book on them, and Digital Books allow you to read on devices such as your phone or even a tablet. These books being allowed online give you the ability to read whenever and wherever you want. Plus, if your college requires online textbooks, you won’t have to be carrying around a heavy book all day.

Societal Awareness:

Books also provide so much knowledge that could broaden someone’s mindset and creativity. Some books will discuss sensitive topics that are censored through the media such as mental health, unhealthy relationships, bullying in schools, racism/homophobia, and some even discuss the problems with corrupt governments. Having these topics talked about in books, allow people to gain another viewpoint on these topics and cause some to gain awareness on what’s going on in the world. Even if the book just talks about mental health by using the main character, it allows for people to gain another perspective.

Having a new perspective on sensitive topics that are glorified on social media platforms is so crucial for readers. With books talking about unhealthy relationships, they help readers know what’s healthy and what’s not within a relationship. A majority of people are ignorant of the red flags within a relationship, so gaining this new perspective can help people notice them. Though books don’t solve all of these problems within our society, they help readers know what’s going on in a non-filtered way instead of glorifying it.