Discussion : Am I Too Obsessed With Reading?

Hello, everyone! I think you’re all thinking I’m a bit out of my mind as you’re reading this title… I mean, I’m a reader, I’m a book blogger, that’s basically our thing – obsessing over books. But I am here to ask the right questions – am I too obsessed with books? Did I somehow cross the line between what’s normal for any bookworm and reading has taken over my life completely? Maybe. 

This post is totally inspired by everyone in my life. By my cousin who always complains about her older cousin that stays way too much on that ‘annoying’ blog instead of playing with her (forgive her, she’s not even 10 years old yet, she doesn’t understand), by my ex-friend who told me that I’d probably bring a book even to a date (PROBABLY AND I WOULD REGRET NOTHING) and ultimately by my parents, who are always creative about coming up with activities that can get me to do anything else besides reading (I love you, but we all know it’s not working).

It’s not like I’m not doing anything besides reading, because I do, my reading challenge where I’m behind with 20+ books should be proof enough of this. It’s that I don’t really enjoy anything as much as I enjoy reading.

My motto in life would be something among these lines : “Are you sad? Read a book. Are you happy? Read a book. Are you angry? WELL, guess what you should do? YOU SHOULD READ A BOOK.”.

Whenever I have my exam sessions I become even more aware of how important reading is to me. I never read during that period (at all or just a book in a full month) and I feel like something is totally missing from my life. It never feels like a break (as the non-readers in my life like to call it), it actually feels as a torturous time when I can’t do what I enjoy the most.

You know, reading is one of the few things that I do for me, for my enjoyment, it’s not an obligation, I don’t do it as a job, I don’t do it to impress other, I don’t even do it for my future. I do it because I LOVE READING. I love learning new things, I love how books can offer me comfort when nobody else can, I read to forget and to remember. I read because I want to. I read because I love connecting with characters and with readers who loved the same books as I did or disliked some that I disliked as well. This hobby gave me lots of things that I’m eternally grateful for : friends, tales that will stay with me forever, comfort. And I think that makes up for the periods where I’m too caught up in it that I don’t want to do anything else, but stay in my bed and read all day long.

So, am I obsessed with reading? YES. Is it bad? Depends on who you’re asking.

Some signs that you’re too obsessed with books and reading include : 

1. Dreading conversations with non-readers about your reading routine and what reading means to you because they won’t understand and they’ll just give you a blank stare and think you’re weird.
2. Spending days, weeks, maybe months agonizing over something that happened in a book (see: death characters, otps breaking up and more).
3. Not even thinking about it when you have to chose between socializing/going out and reading. I mean, we all have our priorities straight here.
4. Not having any problem with being left in your reading cave for a long time, alone, without human contact.
5. Hating responsibilities that keep you away from reading.
6. Is there anything else besides books in your life? Can you see your life without reading? If no, then congratulations! You’re as in deep as I am!

 

Bad stuff that happens when you’re too obsessed with reading (as told by non-readers in my life) : 

1. You might neglect your people not because you don’t love them, but because you’re too caught up in reading and you forgot about everything else. (In my defense, there are days when I forget to eat and sleep properly because I’m reading a good book.)
2. You might seem like an alien to people who haven’t discovered how amazing reading is (pagans, as I always call them).
3. YOU FORGET ABOUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN LIFE BESIDES READING. (like what, Susan?)
4. You always make weird references that nobody ever catches because they haven’t read said book. (if they did read said book as I told them to, they wouldn’t have this problem. NEXT, please!)
5. You always cry about characters and complain about plot-twists and we never know what you’re talking about. (yeah, I can see how that looks bad, but what should I talk about???? I don’t know how to make small talk. I only know how to talk about my babies).

So, now that we established that there’s a huge rift between my opinion and the opinion of the non-readers in my life when it comes to READING. I want to hear your opinion on whether there’s such a thing as being too obsessed with books? Do you also get remarks from relatives and friends that you should read less from time to time, give them more attention and do something else that’s more “productive” in your free time?

Can’t wait to hear all about your experience as fellow bookworms.

Did you relate to my experience? 

Have you been called obsessed as well by the non-readers in your life? Do you think there’s such a thing as being too obsessed with reading?