Book boost Brits’ mental health as cost of living crisis takes its toll

TRADITIONAL BOOKS BOOST BRITS IN TOUGH TIMES AS OVER HALF READ TO ESCAPE THEIR DAILY LIVES

New research shows the importance and value of reading for improving mental health, wellbeing and developing a personal identity.

· Half (51.5 per cent) read to escape their daily life
· Over half (57.2 per cent) say reading lifts their mood
· Two in five (38.5 per cent) look for books to help them relax and be calm
· One in four (25.2 percent) said reading helped them learn who they were
· Two in five (39.1 per cent) said “I am who I am today because of the books I’ve read”.

New research commissioned by the Publishers Association reveals the crucial role a love of literature plays in the personal development of Brits. The survey, including a nationally representative sample of 2000 respondents, explores how books are providing support to Brits as they navigate the challenges of modern life and embrace their personal identities.

During challenging times, Brits turn to books as half (51.5 per cent) said they read as a form of escapism from daily life. They find reading to be one of the most valuable ways to support their well-being with over half (57.2 per cent) saying reading a book was one of the most likely ways to improve their mood- more than watching television (54 per cent) and even talking to friends (45.2 per cent).

When choosing what to read, the most important thing for Brits is how it’s going to affect them emotionally. One in three (32.2 per cent) look for books that will lift their mood and two in five (38.5 per cent) want a book that will help them relax and be calm. And the benefits are clear, as two in five (38.7 per cent) said that reading helped them understand how to relax.

For many, reading is also a vital tool for self-discovery, helping Brits to grow in confidence and learn about themselves. One in four (25.2 per cent), said reading helped them understand who they were and one in five (21.9 per cent) noted that reading gave them the confidence to embrace themselves. Reading was also shown to help us understand and relate to those around us as one in four (23.9 per cent) read to understand other people’s perspectives whilst one in five (21.4 per cent) read to learn about different cultures. Two in five (39.1 per cent) said “I am who I am today because of the books I’ve read”.

To encourage more people to read, the Publishers Association has launched the #BookThatMadeMe campaign, to encourage more people to share the books that made them who they are today. Below are two case studies, available for interview, speaking on how their #BookThatMadeMe benefitted and inspired them:

Ashley Thorpe, the Development Editor at Sweet Cherry Publishing, said:

“As a child, my library card had been my passport to joy and fostered my love of reading. Richard Wright’s autobiography “Black Boy” had a transformative impact on me. He taught himself to read covertly, at a time in the States when he would have been punished for. In the way Wright described how reading became his escape and saviour, I realised that I saw myself – possibly for the first time – in a book. After reading about Wright’s struggles, I was motivated to start writing my own novel manuscript. Mentally, I was able to see that, actually, black writers and their stories and essays did have incredible value, not just for leisure but academically. As an extension, I was able to understand that who I was and what I had to say carried value too”.

Elissa Soave, Author of “Ginger and Me” said:
“Reading fiction and entering worlds that are totally different to my own, is hugely important to maintaining my mental health and wellbeing. “The Women’s Room” by Marilyn French was first published in 1977 but its themes of gender relations and the importance of women’s autonomy remain pertinent today. I read “The Women’s Room” when I was a young Law student, unsure of my place in a male-dominated profession. This book transported me to a different world, populated by characters I could believe in. It made me appreciate that women’s ambitions, career goals and desire for personal fulfilment outside the home and family are every bit as valid as those of men. This inspired me to show through my own writing that whilst there may be underlying darkness, good friends can sustain our mental health and wellbeing”.

5 books to start reading to improve mental health and wellbeing

The Publishers Association has hand-selected five books to help start your journey towards improving mental health and wellbeing:

Emotional First Aid: Healing Rejection, Guilt, Failure, and Other Everyday Hurts
Guy Winch, PhD
Drawing on the latest scientific research and using real-life examples, Guy offers specific step-by-step treatments that are fast, simple, and effective for treating emotional pain.

Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present (Mental and Emotional Abundance)
Nick Trenton
This book walks you through the obstacles with detailed and proven techniques to help you rewire your brain, control your thoughts, and change your mental habits.

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World
Admiral William H. McRaven
This book will inspire readers to achieve more with thoughtful determination, hard work and the spirit of service.

Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find – and Keep – Love
Amir Levine M.D and Rachel S. F. Heller M.A
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Amir Levine and psychologist Rachel Heller reveal how an understanding of attachment theory can help us find and sustain love.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
Using recent scientific advances, Dr. Bessel shows how trauma reshapes both body and brain before exploring innovative treatments that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity.