How To Cure Reader’s Block
This under-recognised mental illness symptom is beatable with the right approach
I can’t take credit for the term Reader’s Block. It was Joanne Harris (Writer of among other things, “Chocolat” who is a flipping delight on Twitter) who coined it when I commented a reply along the lines of “you know….that thing…..when your mental health is so crap that you can’t read anymore…”.
After I’d finished face-palming for not having thought of that myself, I set to work trying to cure my own instance of it. Up to that point, I’d thought I was alone. Friends came out of the woodwork to tell me that this had happened to them. The one thing I noticed was that we all carried a palpable air of shame about it.
I would almost describe myself as a compulsive reader. A fair chunk of my academic study has revolved around literature and I was the kid who would read the cereal packet or the washing powder box if given half a chance. I can’t complete a train journey without a book, and due to my living circumstances, my friends and relatives are storing many boxes of books that I can’t bear to part with, but can’t currently fit into my home. Losing the ability to read as a result of mental illness has been devastating for me. Reading is tightly wound into my identity.
