Reading Novels Can Help with Chronic Pain: Here are five doctor & patient recommended suggestions

According to a University of Liverpool study, reading could help you handle chronic pain. If you think about, the idea’s not crazy. When you read a well-written novel, it’s like taking a trip into that story’s world, characters and settings appearing in your mind like daydreams. So why shouldn’t those dreams take you to a place without hurt?

Dr Stephan R. Weinland, clinical psychologist with the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, explains reading is a form of distraction: “The ability to shut out sensations by getting so lost in what you are doing is a skill that can be developed and help patients manage their pain. The key is to find an activity that people experiencing pain can get lost in.” And the study backs him up. While lead researcher Dr Josie Billington didn’t respond to request for comment, the report says participants claim reading “helped to take my mind off pain,” “distract[ed me] from problems,” “helped with pain and anxiety,” and served as a means of support.

The only question then is what type of stories work best. Weinland recommends romance to “engage the senses and imagination,” historical fiction for those who want escape, and science fiction “to imagine unreal or unfamiliar possibilities,” but the study and readers with pain have their own suggestions:

1) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

In addition to novels, the study also included short stories, asking participants read either “Mrs Manstey’s View” or “The Visitor” by Edith Wharton. In both shorter and longer works, Wharton is known for her ability to visually show you the story. Personally, it’s been more than 20 years since I read her Ethan Frome, but I still can see the titular character sledding with his mistress.

When it comes to pain, Weinland suggests that scenes like this matter: “The key is to find an activity that people experiencing pain can get lost in. For many people, reading is an activity that they can start and time will pass quickly while they are engaged in it. Pretty soon you’ve been reading…